QUARTERLY NATIONAL REVIEW

Spring 2016

INSIDE• LiftingtheBaninWA–

The40YearAnniversary!• ExercisingYoungPuppies.ShouldYou?• NeuteringofGermanShepherdDogs:

associatedjointdisorders,cancersandurinaryincontinence

• BreedSurveyForumSummaryOutcomes• OurFirstRallyObedienceChampion!• ADog’sNoseKnows

• TheGSDLNSWintheSpotlight!• EnrichingYourDog’sLife• ToxicPlantsforDogs• GSDCADogDatabaseUpdate• DentitionandClassification• BuyaGSDCAShirt• OurBreed,HealthandWelfare

ChairpersonDrCandyBakermakesacallout…..

Plusmuchmore………

The official magazine of the German Shepherd Dog Council of Australia Inc.

www.gsdcouncilaustralia.org

QUARTERLYNATIONALREVIEW

THE

EVENT calendar

GSDCA Events Date Event Location 11th - 12th February 2017 GSDCA Annual General Meeting Melbourne

19th - 21st May 2017 45th National Show & Trial Brisbane

29th - 30th July 2017 GSDCA National Breed Commission Meeting Adelaide

27th - 29th April 2018 46th National Show & Trial Adelaide

www.facebook.com/GSDCA www.gsdcouncilaustralia.org http://database,gsdcouncilaustralia.org www.schaeferhunde.de

Member Club Shows Date Event Location Judge1st – 2nd October 2016 ACTGSDA Championship Shows Canberra Stefao Beggiato (Ity) & Louis Donald (Qld)2nd October 2016 3rd Members Competition Perth Natalie Humphries (WA)8th & 9th October 2016 GSDL October Champ Show & Obedience Trial Sydney Fay Stokes (NSW)23rd October 2016 West Coast Challenge Champ. Show Perth Harald Hohmann (Gmy)29-30th October 2016 GSDCV Championship Show Melbourne Harald Hohmann (Gmy) & Peter Flynn (SA)13th November 2016 Yea Kennel Club Championship Show Melbourne Sharon Ballantyne (Qld)10th December 2016 GSDL Members Competition Sydney Bruce Knight (WA)

Quarterly National Review Closing datesClose dates for content submission and advertising in future magazine editionsEdition Closing date Delivery to MembersSummer 2017 5th November 2016 Early DecemberAutumn 2017 5th February 2017 Early March

I wish every day

was beach day!

CONTENTS & contacts

ContentsPresident’s Report ............................................................. 2Editor’s Report ................................................................... 2Milestone Celebration ...................................................... 3Breed Survey Improvement ............................................ 4Rally Obedience ................................................................. 6News from our Members ................................................ 7Exercise in Puppies ............................................................ 8Veterinary Feedback - Disease Patterns in GSD’s..... 9GSDCA Youth Education ...............................................10Veterinary Chat - Neutering .........................................12Saving Dogs from Snake Bites .....................................17GSDCA Dog Database Update ...................................182016 Seiger Show ............................................................19News from our Member Clubs ....................................22Club Spotlight - NSW .....................................................26Dog Discussion - Canine Nose Work ..........................28Dog Discussion - Enriching Your Dog’s Life ..............31Did You Know?.................................................................34Dog Discussion - Destructive Chewing ......................35Veterinary Chat - Toxic Plants ....................................36Showing Notes ..................................................................38Crossword ..........................................................................39Other Chat ........................................................................40

PresidentVinceTantaroPh:+614021451841220SomertonRoad,OaklandsJunctionVic.3063e:[email protected]

EditorJacintaPoolePh:+614034558585YangooraCourt,MountWaverleyVIC3149e:[email protected]

SecretaryValMoodyPh:+61354264286Mobile:+61419568759POBox173,MacedonVic3440e:[email protected]

TreasurerJanePike20ConradRoad,LongwoodSA5153Mobile:+61413347247e:[email protected]

NBC ChairpersonJoyleneNeddermeyerPh:+61882708994(after6pmSAtime)Mobile:+6140280016342TaniaDriveAberfoyleParkSA5159e:[email protected]

Judges Committee ChairpersonRobynKnuckey55MaryStreet,Como,WA6152Ph:+61894507554Mobile:+61435789442e:[email protected]

Obedience ChairpersonJohnDeLuciaPh:+61885221692Mobile:+61417811787P.O.Box1421,AdelaideSA5001e:[email protected]

Contacts

Breed Health & Welfare Committee ChairDr.CandyBakerPh:+61409168299e:[email protected]

HD RegistrarDougWestPh:+61883265392e:[email protected]

National Identification RegistrarAdamTorettoPh:+61400776256e:[email protected]

GSDCA WebmasterJacintaPoolee:[email protected]

GSDCA Websitewww.gsdcouncilaustralia.org

GSDCA CONSULTANTSHDDrRogerLavelleDrJ.L.Richardson

HaemophiliaDrBruceParry

GSDCA EXECUTIVE

GSDCA OFFICERS GSDCA CONSULTANTS

1

PrESidENT’S report

You might have noticed that issues of the Quarterly National Review are arriving thick and fast these days ! This is primarily due to the 1st edition of the year, the National edition, not arriving until late June. Meaning 3 editions will be produced for you in the July - December period this year. Following this Spring edition, you will receive the Summer 2017 magazine in December to round out the year. Copy and content for the summer edition closes on November 5th, so if you’d like to advertise or contribute, please contact me. Don’t forget too, the front and back cover are available for non-advertising content, or even just a great photo.

This magazine is our showcase to members throughout Australia, who have a very broad interest and investment in the GSD, from stud dog owners, show exhibitors, obedience trialers and pet owners. If you have an interesting story, achievement or photo please submit for consideration. We want to provide a broad range of content that is of interest to a wide cross section. Don’t be shy

Well it is hard to believe that 2016 is heading towards its end! It has been quite a busy year for the Executive. I would like to congratulate our new Editor: Jacinta Poole, on the production of her first QNR: Winter Edition.

It was pleasing to see a large contingent of ‘pilgrims’ make the annual trip to the German & Italian Sieger shows. Both these events provide an insight into where our breed is at the moment. I did observe this year the entry from

countries outside Germany has increased, with Italy having close to 20%. With regard to quality, general consensus is that like here despite some very nice animals, we see large to very large animals, narrow fronts, not standing correct in front, short steep upper arms and short underchest. The stability of the hindquarter, like in previous years needs to be improved and this will take some time, BUT at least now like size, it has been highlighted as a major fault that needs to be addressed.

You will find in this edition the Executive Summary of the 2016 Breed Survey Forum. I do ask you please read it. The working parties as formed to address the recommendations will in due course report on ways ahead to improve what is a great and unique scheme that has served our breed well since it was introduced close to 50 years ago.

I look forward to a busy last few months of the 2016 year.

As always, I am available on 0402145184.

Kind Regards

This edition features the GSDL NSW as our next Club in the spotlight. Very interesting to read of their history, our clubs have such a rich past. As does our breed. You will also read that this year is the 40th anniversary of the lifting of the ban on importation of GSD’s to Western Australia. This acknowledgment is a reminder of the hard work and passion that leaders in the GSD breed within Australia have had to overcome in order for many of us today to enjoy the dogs we now share our lives with.

All of the recent excitement during September surrounded the Sieger show in Germany, where many Aussies attended. The power and reach of social media for our fraternity was on full show here as live and just recorded videos, photos and facebook posts from those attending kept all back here in Australia glued to their phones, ipads and computers for the 3 days of the show. Facebook ran hot with up to date news and views on classes, how various dogs performed, placings and the busy social scene. Often social media is maligned for its negatives, but in this instance an entire fraternity interested in the GSD show scene half way around the world was kept engaged with real time information. For those who couldn’t be there, it was almost just as good .

Thank you to everyone who shared !

Vince Tantaro

2

EdiTOr’S report

Jacinta

MiLESTONE celebration

3Jacinta

2016 will see W.A. celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the lifting of the ban on our breed.Those people newer to the German Shepherd world may not realise the determination and passion which the “pioneers” of our breed had to endure to see our breed be successful. You may not understand the amount of red tape and regulations our breeders had to endure in order to breed sound dogs in body and mind and help you have the exciting dogs you own today.

It is believed that the first German Shepherd Dog came to Western Australia in 1920. Pastoralists lobbied the government of the day suggesting that a German Shepherd Dingo cross would be a super dingo and would be the greatest stock killer imaginable. In 1929 this meant a total Federal Ban meaning, no further G.S.D.s could be brought into this country. The Alsatian Dog Act (1929 amended in 1938, 1952 and 1962) restricted people from owning unsterilised German Shepherd Dogs in Western Australia.

Many shires throughout the country followed suit. Our dedicated breeders fought the ignorance and prejudice and G.S.D. clubs all over the country started campaigning to lift the ban.

In the early 1960s the German Shepherd Dog Association of W.A. was formed and joined the German Shepherd Dog Council of Australia and the fight to have the right to import, own and breed the modern German Shepherd Dog.

On March 5th 1972 the Federal Ban on the importation of German Shepherds was lifted. Until the lifting of the ban, the Obedience ring was the only time we could compete with other breeds BUT only as B class (Associate) dogs. The Royal Agricultural Society controlled all dog shows in those days and with special permission German Shepherds could be shown as sterilised dogs, but strictly only as members competitions

On August 17th 1976 James Clarko, a Liberal Party of Australia member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly introduced the bill to repeal the Alsatian Dog Act.

Jim was a Member of Parliament for 23 years. He was a Deputy Speaker and Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, government whip, member and chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, and held ministerial and shadow ministerial portfolios for 10 years, covering local government, planning, education and racing and gaming.

On Christmas Eve 1976 our dreams came true and the ban in W.A. was lifted, opening a door that had been well and truly closed for almost 50 years.

We have been extremely lucky to have a dedicated and sympathetic patron in the Hon. James Clarko AM AE JP.

Jim remains our friend and supporter, he attends our events when health permits him to do so. He is always a welcome visitor with a genuine message for our members.

Margaret AdamsG.S.D.A. of W.A.

Thanking Honey Gross-Richardson for allowing me to use extracts of her and Rick’s write-ups submitted in previous publications.

Something to think about……

When speaking with Jim about organisations, he suggests that if a club has good leaders who can pick up the workload and put the club first, it gives a positive lift to new members and generates enthusiasm through the ranks. Personable people in leadership roles causes that positivity to filter down through the membership and this generates more enjoyment for everyone.

40 years since the lifting of the ban in WA

BrEEd SUrVEY improvement

4

The 2016 GSDCA Breed Survey Forum (BSF)BackgroundPlease find below the BSF Executive Summary as prepared by Melanie Groth and Janet Haase.

The BSF was initiated by the GSDCA Executive over concern expressed regarding the credibility and governance of the GSDCA Breed Survey Scheme. The GSDCA Executive approved a working party was composed of Melanie Groth, Janet Haase and myself. We were ably assisted by Jane Pike and Jacinta Poole to set up as a first step an E-survey which led to excellent participation from across Australia, with 250+ members responding! Further to this, clubs also held in house focus group meetings. The data as collected was used to help drive discussion at the BSF held over the 2016 National Breed Commission / Judges Meeting weekend.

It must be noted that this is the first review of the Breed Survey scheme since its introduction and the Executive has been heartened by the full participation by Member Clubs, the leadership/peer group and Member Club delegates who gave up valuable time and own money to attend a most important initiative. The forum has put in place, a set of objectives that will be pursued by working parties and if enacted, see the GSDCA Breed Survey Scheme better placed to meet our long term goal: to only have breed surveyed animals bred with.

I would again thank Annette Whiley whose analysis of the e-data and presentation helped drive discussion and Melanie and Janet for working in quick time whilst on holiday in Europe, to produce the executive summary. I have no doubt that the recommendations and rationale as made will act as drivers for the three working parties to put forward recommendations that will in due process, be discussed further by the Member Clubs and then put to a future GSDCA AGM for adoption.

Vince Tantaro, President

Breed Survey Forum Executive SummaryAs part of the 2016 National Breed Commission meetings, a Breed Survey Forum was held on Saturday, 30 July. Out of a total of forty-five (45) Breed Surveyors, Judges and Trainees, twenty-four (24) attended. Of the twenty-six (26) GSDCA Breed Surveyors - fifteen (15) were in attendance at the forum.

The forum consisted of three workshop sessions facilitated by Janet Haase, Annette Whiley, Melanie Groth and Vince Tantaro. It was interactive and featured collaborative workshops, discussion and feedback. The forum was structured to elicit maximum participation from those in attendance. It highlighted a strong desire for further education and learning. The willingness of the participants to actively engage in all activities signals a convincing and positive mindset for change and hope for a positive outcome for our Breed Survey scheme.

The intentions for the day were to:

• Develop trust and collaborative relationships that enhance our productivity and learning as breed surveyors, specialist judges and German Shepherd enthusiasts

• Understand the need for deep personal critical reflection on our own practice and collectively as a peer group

• Gain a shared understanding of how to work together to move the GSDCA Breed Survey Scheme forward to achieve its purpose

The first session set the context for the forum. Annette Whiley (analyst) delivered a detailed presentation of quantitative and qualitative data gathered from the membership across Australia via the E-survey and focus group forums. It led to the themes, findings and overall conclusions contained in the evaluation report. Two hundred and sixty-eight (268) people completed the E-survey online. Ten of the twenty E-survey questions elicited in excess of 2600 comments from participants. The comments were coded, cross-referenced with other questions within the survey and with the focus group responses from clubs in Queensland (including far north Qld), NSW, ACT, South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia.

The themes identified from the data were:1. Consistency2. Quality & Competence3. Ethical Behaviour, Fairness & Honesty4. Education for Breed Surveyors & Members5. Confidence in & Support of the Scheme6. Participation & Involvement7. Practical Issues8. Addressing Identified & Specific Issues.

The conclusions derived from the analysis were as follows:

• The GSDCA Breed Survey Scheme is highly valued

• A high level of support for the scheme and desire for its success is evident

• The level of participation in the GSDCA Breed Survey Scheme is high

• Opinions about the importance of participation in and adherence to the GSDCA Breed Survey Scheme vary

• Throughout the German Shepherd Dog (GSD) community, there is a lack of shared understanding and knowledge about the reasons for breeding with breed surveyed animals, the purpose of the GSDCA Breed Survey Scheme, and the current requirements of GSDCA Breed Surveyors

• The GSDCA Breed Survey Scheme and the information it provides is valued for the guidance it gives and is often considered in breeding decisions

• The implementation of the Breed Survey Scheme needs improvement

• Inconsistencies in the practical and ethical implementation of the GSDCA Breed Survey Scheme, the quality of the information provided and outcomes achieved are identified as the most significant barriers to its use as an effective and trusted breed direction tool

BrEEd SUrVEY improvement

5

• The high expectations of Breed Surveyors are undermined by a significant lack of confidence in the advice provided by the breed surveyors

• Suggested necessary requirements to maintain breed surveyor status relate to ethical behaviour, participation and active involvement in a number of aspects and activities of the breed, as well as the breed survey scheme, and participation in ongoing, compulsory education and learning that can be evidenced.

• Maintaining the position of a GSDCA Breed Surveyor should be dependent upon the individual’s ethics, level of participation and involvement, their quality of health, knowledge, competence and credibility, not their age

• Allowing members the choice of breed surveyor impacts significantly, positively and negatively, on the credibility of the GSDCA Breed Survey Scheme when the survey is conducted by one breed surveyor and the allocation of two or more breed surveyors at each breed survey is desirable and beneficial for all involved

• The understanding of and knowledge about breed survey classification, consistency in the process and its implementation and the level of integrity and trust are more important than the number of classification categories or the allocated number of surveyors in the GSDCA Breed Survey Scheme.

The participants at the forum were not surprised by the data presented. The analysis confirmed long held beliefs that issues around breed survey and breed surveyors exists within the fraternity. The data provides the GSDCA with a mandate for systems improvement and much needed change. The participants concurred that there was an urgency to address accountability in order to maintain the high expectations members hold of the management of the GSDCA Breed Survey Scheme.

In session two the group examined leadership, team work, collaboration and the importance of Perceptual Positioning when working with the fraternity. Key points included the commitment and responsibility that comes with being a leader as a surveyor and judge; and the need to actively listen and understand the perceptions of the fraternity.

There was strong acknowledgement from the group of the need for breed surveyors and specialist judges to lead by example and fully commit to the ideals and breed improvement schemes of the GSDCA. The consensus was that this will be demonstrated through:

• a commitment to ongoing personal and collaborative education and skill development

• ethical behaviour at all levels including, interactions with the membership, judging, surveying and breeding

• a willingness to be held accountable for their actions.

Session three enabled the group to collaboratively prioritise actions for the Council as a result of the survey and forum. It was widely considered that the conclusions and recommendations from the forum be addressed by the GSDCA as a matter of urgency and high priority. For the momentum and enthusiasm generated at the forum to be sustained, it was agreed it was imperative that delegates, breed surveyors and specialist judges support and promote the actions and subsequent initiatives of the working parties at their clubs.

The aspirational goal of the GSDCA is for the ANKC to only accept litter registrations from animals that have been breed surveyed, thus enabling the implementation of a breed specific Litter Registration Limitation (LRL). The following recommendations have been developed with this long term aspirational goal in mind. They have been established from the findings, collaborative discussions and conclusions drawn from the

Breed Survey evaluation report and feedback at the forum.

Recommendations• The GSDCA Breed Survey Scheme requires the development of

systems and processes that will educate and inform the general membership about the nature and purpose of the breed survey scheme and its relevance to the improvement of the German Shepherd Dog in Australia

• Accountability and ongoing education of the GSDCA Breed Surveyors is paramount to the schemes’ success in terms of ethics and consistency

• Working groups be formed to address- accountability ethics and conduct of surveys and surveyors- continuous education and skill development of Breed

Surveyors, Judges and Trainees- education of the membership about the nature and purpose of

survey and its integral role in the development of the German Shepherd Dog in Australia

• Member Clubs, GSDCA Breed Surveyors and Specialist Judges support the initiatives of the working groups.

The first action from the forum has been the formation of the GSDCA Breed Survey Scheme Improvement Project (BSIP). The steering committee consists of Melanie Groth (Chair), Janet Haase, Val Moody and Vince Tantaro and will be supported by an Information and Technology Media Advisor, Jane Pike.

The working groups were formed at the National Breed Commission meeting on Sunday, 31 July and have commenced work on their strategic plans and timelines to further develop systems and processes that will enhance the GSDCA Breed Survey Scheme and meet the requirements of the findings and recommendations of the evaluation report.

Working Group 1 (WG1): Compliance and Accountability

Working Group 2 (WG2): Membership Education

Working Group 3 (WG3): Learning Plans and Skill Development: Surveyors and Judges

Frank Moody (Chair) Ian Urie (Chair) Louis Donald (Chair)

Jo Cathie Sharon Ballantyne Melanie Groth

Salvatore Pitelli Janet Haase Robyn Knuckey

Fay Stokes Karen Hedberg Joylene Neddermeyer

Vince Tantaro Nicky McDermott Vince Tantaro

The Breed Survey Evaluation Report containing the in depth data analysis from the E-survey and the focus groups will be finalised and accessible from the GSDCA website later in the year. This executive summary should be read in conjunction with this important document.

Janet Haase, Melanie GrothAugust 2016

rALLY obedience

6

Rally Obedience (Rally O or just Rally) became an official dog competition sport in Australia in January 2012. It was created to promote a positive relationship between the dog and its owner. The emphasis is on fun and excitement for the dog and handler and has been a fast growing ANKC discipline here in Australia.

From the ANKC Rules: “The purpose of Rally Obedience is to demonstrate a dog’s usefulness as a companion of mankind, not merely the dog’s ability to follow specified routines in the ring. Dogs who participate in Rally are dogs that have been trained and conditioned to compete at Novice level and in the presence of other dogs. The objective of Rally is to provide a fast-moving and motivational sport for both Handler and dog that demonstrates competency in basic Obedience exercises without the precision of the formal Obedience Classes. Dogs in Rally events should demonstrate willingness and enjoyment. To that end, Handlers may use verbal praise and encouragement of the dog on the Rally course”.

Consider Rally O to be a mix of Agility and Obedience, with a variety of exercises required. A Rally course is set out with numbered station signs including a start and finish. Each station has a visual sign to describe the activity that the dog and handler have to perform. The exercises can be simple or complex. Familiarity with the signage and exercise comes with practice !

Handlers have the opportunity to walk the course to become familiar with it before competing. During the trial, the handler and dog team navigate the course by following the numbers and carrying out the exercise shown on the sign positioned at each of the numbered stations. As in the obedience ring, dogs work in the “Heel” position between exercises. In Rally novice, dogs complete a course having between 10 and 15 signs (not including the start and finish) and work on lead during the test. There is a total of 50 signs ‘available to use’, gradually increasing in complexity. This includes jumps, such as a Broad Jump, Solid Jump or Bar Jump. So there is plenty of opportunity for varied courses each trial. The higher levels of Rally O use up to 24 signs including many of the more complex ones and complete the courses off-lead.

Rally was designed for the average dog owner as a way to introduce them into obedience trialling, and for those who have obedience titles to challenge themselves and their dogs further with a greater variety of exercises and skills to perform. It is also suitable for trial dogs as they get older and less able to manage some of the more strenuous aspects of obedience trials, and for veteran dogs to remain active. It provides a chance for shy or anti-social dogs to

get experience in the ring without worrying about being examined by a judge. Handlers with disabilities may compete, provided they can move about the ring without physical assistance (wheelchairs/walking sticks are allowed)

Dogs in rally events should demonstrate willingness and enjoyment. In Rally, competitors are allowed and encouraged to use hand and verbal cues and can talk to, praise and encourage their dog throughout the trial course. Each trial can be a different series of exercises set by the judge – you don’t know what the course will be until you do the walk through pre-trial.

There are 5 Rally Classes, and 6 titles with a variety of requirements to be achieved - Rally Novice (RN), Rally Advanced (RA), Rally Excellent (RE) and Rally Advanced Excellent (RAE), Rally Master (RM) and Rally Obedience Champion (RO CH)

So how much work is involved? To achieve the Rally Obedience Champion title, a dog and handler team will have had to have achieved a minimum of 28 passes throughout the various title levels, under numerous different judges, and sometimes have had to achieve 2 passes at the same trial across some classes.

But it is fun for you and your dog, so get out and give it a go !

What do the signs and exercises look like? Here is a sample. See if you can work out what to do with your dog.

A copy of the rules, and all the various signs and exercises involved can be found on the ANKC website www.ankc.org.au

NEWS from our members

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Rally Obedience - Our First ChampionAlex Cogdell & Tia (CH Vindel Rubee Tuesday CD RAE RM ‘A”Z’)

Congratulations to Victoria’s, and we believe Australia’s, first ever German Shepherd Dog to obtain the title of Rally Obedience Champion! Huge accolades to Alex Cogdell and his lovely girl he bred, Tia (Ch Vindel Rubee Tuseday CD RAE RM). Alex and Tia gained this ultimate title in incredibly great style – rarely a glitch along the way to all those first places and highest in trial results: scores of 100 out of a 100, 99’s & 98’s….

Rally (RO), requires a handler and dog to work as a happy team over a course of many various signposted challenges, that become increasingly difficult through from Novice, Advanced A & B, Excellent A & B, Advanced Excellent, Masters and finally Champion! Rally seems to look easy at first. Just get out there and try it and you soon learn how difficult it is!

To gain a Rally Master Title 7 qualifying scores of 85 points or more must be earned under at least three different judges. To achieve the Rally Obedience Champion each dog which, having gained its Rally Master title, thereafter gains a further 10 qualifying scores of 90 or more points in the Rally Master Class under at least three different Judges.

Alex & Tia - what a triumph! This team can be duly proud of their achievements.

Do you have a good story or a tale to tell? We’d love to hear about it. Send it to us at [email protected]

Lett

er to

the

Edit

or Vale Helen GalbraithI heartily endorse Malle Morley’s excellent Vale for Helen Galbraith on page 21 of the Winter 2016 edition of the GSDCA magazine. Whilst I have acknowledged Helen’s absolutely terrific contribution previously, I felt compelled to do so once again. There is absolutely no doubt that her professionalism in the design and layout of the Golden Jubilee Edition created an excellent impression on all readers. I would also like to pay tribute to her husband Barry who wholly supported Helen in this project. The German Shepherd world has lost an amazing lady whose love of the GSD was total. May she rest in peace.James Rodger - Editor Golden Jubilee

EXErCiSE in puppies

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Should You Exercise Your Young German Shepherd Puppy?(Author’s note - this article was originally written as a part of a lengthy document on the complete rearing of youngsters).

Many breeders include this type of article in their puppy packs to new owners, as we all know how important development and growth of puppies can be.

A mistaken belief of many owners of our breed is that a young puppy (up to 12 months of age) should have “plenty” of exercise.

As the German Shepherd is such a fast growing breed (compared to some other working breeds) the opposite is actually more correct. The strain of over exercise on the skeletal make up of a youngster is often irreversible. The stretching of ligaments at too early an age, the strain on young growing joints, or the carrying of too much weight on the overall framework can and will do harm to the young puppy, and lead to problems in adulthood.

Consider a young Shepherd in comparison to a 3 - 4 year old human child - certainly not ready to run a marathon (even though the spirit may be willing!) but with growth and maturity, that time could come.

Please remember, “strong & lean muscles with correct leverage are developed by youngsters having freedom to trot and gallop at will”. Exercise, always, must be adapted to the age and the strength of the dog.

As a general rule of thumb and guideline for novice owners, “on lead” exercise should be very limited until final growth and height is achieved at approximately twelve months of age (when both hips and elbows can be x-rayed through the G.S.D.C.A. scheme).

At that time, and hopefully having gained the ‘A’ & ‘Z’ the young dog is then ready to commence more prolonged exercise. Should there be any chance that there is already some problem with wear on the joints of the hips and elbows, further advice would be sought as to appropriate exercise. Then, and only then, should you build the dog up to the desired level of fitness you require for whichever field you have chosen - be it show dog, trialing, agility or family companion with the adult animal - complete in growth.

Until then, it should be “careful and slow”. Up to twelve months of age, natural free running is the best form of exercise for a youngster, for a young pup, upon tiring, can easily stop when they wish, and not keep on performing because they wish to please and keep up with you!

Of course you will wish to lead train and socialise your puppy, but exercise on lead should be no more than that. Maximum time walking (the dog at a fast trot) of a puppy up to six months of age should be barely five minutes at one instance (equivalent to a short stroll around your local block or park) and then rest. Puppies need plenty of rest and sleep, just like a young toddler.

Certainly they can play and romp in your back yard or in their kennel run, but they will stop when they feel tired, rest and then play again.

Sleep: young dogs, similar to young children, need to be encouraged to have ‘rest time’ - which is just as important as not over- exercising etc.

Over six months - training on lead could extend to ten minutes if you wish, but again, moderation is the best guide, and if a puppy shows an inclination to tire, then stop!

Moderation and common sense are the guidelines. Allow your puppy to grow steadily and slowly, and the fun of having a companion with which you can run your kilometres (upon adulthood of the dog) will not be impaired by the damage you may do, by doing too much, too soon.

Enjoy your puppy’s first twelve months as a friend, and savour a lifetime with a fit and healthy adult.

Fran Farley

FEEdBACK wanted

Disease patterns in German Shepherd Dogs and the need for breed health feed-back in AustraliaDr Candice Baker BSc BVMS

Hello fellow GSD lovers and enthusiasts! Candy here, your Breed Health and Welfare Chairperson.

I thought you might be interested to know there was an article published in the Journal of British Veterinary Association in March 2013. It reported disease and death in German Shepherd Dogs in Sweden, the data was from a Pet Insurance company in Stockholm. The data was collected from 1995 - 2006, and was designed to test the theory that most GSDs die of immune-related diseases. It showed that the most common disease was skin related disorders, the most common cause of death were related to locomotor disorders and that the breed was over represented in immunological diseases compared to any other breed.

This urges data collection for us, in Australia, to assess for diseases and disorders that are causing illness or frequent veterinarian visits and deaths. Even though our data collection is breed specific and will provide no direct comparison to other breeds, it will help educate and watch for common disorders in this country.

Please fill out our online GSDCA Health Profile Form when something happens with one of your adults or puppies. It will help create a good data collection base to go on with into the future of improving the health of our breed.

Many thanks!

Visit www.gsdcouncilaustralia.org and click this button on the home page to go direct to the form, which can be downloaded or submitted online direct to Candy.

Or here is the link: http://www.gsdcouncilaustralia.org/gsdcacontent/uploads/2015/03/GSDCA-Heath-Profile-Form-August-2016.pdf

You can contact me via email: [email protected]

CandyArticle reference: Bonnett, B., Hannson-Hamlin, H., Hedhammar, V., Vilson, A. (2013) ‘Disease Patterns in 32,486 insured German shepherd dogs in Sweden: 1995-2006.’, Journal of The British Veterinary Association. Vol 173(Issue 4), p 116.

Abstract: The aims of this retrospective study were to describe the morbidity and mortality in German shepherd dogs (GSD) in Sweden, based on insurance data, and to test the hypothesis that GSDs are predisposed to immune-related diseases. Morbidity was defined as incidence rates and based on veterinary care events. Mortality was defined as mortality rates and based on life insurance data. The study included 445,336 dogs, 7.3 per cent GSDs, covered by both veterinary care and life insurance between 1995 and 2006 in the Swedish insurance company Agria (Agria Insurance Company, Stockholm, Sweden). For veterinary care events (morbidity) GSDs were most over-represented for immunological disease, with a relative risk (RR) of 2.7, compared with the risk in all other breeds combined. The most common disease category (morbidity) in GSDs was skin disorders with an incidence rate of 346.8 cases per 10,000 dog years at risk. The highest RR for cause of death in GSDs compared with all other breeds was for skin conditions (RR=7.8). Locomotor disorders were the most common cause of death in GSDs. The GSD is predisposed to immune-related disorders, such as allergies, circumanal fistulae and exocrine pancreatic atrophy, with significantly increased risk compared with all other breeds.

Disease patterns in 32,486 insured German shepherd dogs in Sweden: 1995-2006.

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Welcome to the next instalment of the overview of the German Shepherd. This time we will focus on the coat types, colour and teeth. Once again thank you to Louis Donald for allowing us to use his information and hopefully it helps you to better understand the correct German Shepherd structure.

I would also like to congratulate all the young handlers from the recent shows, I hope you keep enjoying participating in our sport and continue to learn. Good luck for all the upcoming events!!

Jess LynchGSDCA Youth Officer

Coat, Colour & Teeth

GSdCA youth education

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Coat• 2 types: normal (stock coat) and long (long stock coat).

• Normal coat is dense, straight, harsh and has close lying hair whereas long coats have long, soft, not close fitting hair with feathering on the ears and legs, bushy breeches and a bushy tail. ‘Soft hair’ is the key word.

• Von Stephanitz considered long stock coat to be an impediment to an optimum performance sheep herding, sheep tending dog and as such he considered them to be ‘less desirable for breeding’.

• In 2010 the SV allowed dogs with ‘long stock coat with undercoat’ to be breed surveyed and shown as a parallel to normal coats.

Colour• Colours nominated in the standard are black and reddish

brown; brown and yellow to light grey markings, black, and grey with darker shadings. White, non albino, dark eye or not is a disqualifying fault.

• Max von Stephanitz favoured wolf grey sable; he did not like the colour all black and gave no support at all for the inclusion of whites. Wolf grey cannot produce colour paling as black and red will and this is why wolf grey was favoured in regard to colour. Non albino white was a popular colour for German Sheepdogs pre SV and many enthusiasts argue that von Stephanitz got it wrong in the way he viewed and dealt with dark eyed whites. Regardless, his opinion led to them being banned from breeding and not surprisingly given white dogs always had a following this led to the establishment of an FCI recognised ‘Swiss White’.

• The standard states; ‘whiteish markings on the chest indicate paling pigment’. This suggests the dog should be noted as having indications of paling pigment but this never happens and as such it is seen as an interesting marking only.

• White spotting, not always but often associated with white feet markings has no genetic connection to pure whites, to albinism, it is a specific colour allele. Whichever white spot/s a dog has, this spotting will always follow the same ‘rules of spread’. White starts on the most extreme edges of the dog. Most commonly the toes and the prosternum, less commonly, the tail tip and even less commonly the foreface.

• The signs of paling pigmentation are; lack of mask, pale nails, usually light coloured eyes, orange hair encroaching on or replacing the black and brown hair, light almost white colour on the inside of the rear legs, and the one that’s a no brainer is a red tip to the end of the tail as opposed to a black tip.

Long Stock Coat

Colour Paling

Stock Coat

Black and White – the white in this photo is albino

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Teeth• 42 teeth - upper 20, lower 22.

• Teeth must be healthy and strong and dare I say clean as in white. Scissor bite - 2mm + gap over or under is an ‘eliminating fault’, this means no grading.

• Whilst often disregarded or simply not known, the scissor bite ‘applies to the side of the mouth not just the incisors’.

• Large spaces between the teeth are a fault.

• A straight dental ridge of the incisors is a fault.

• Missing teeth are a fault – 1 PM + one other tooth / 1 canine / 1 PM or Molar 2 or 3 teeth.

• Level bite is an eliminating fault – no grading. There are degrees of this though. A test is to flick your nail against the face of the teeth and if there is a defined click of the nail it is noted but acceptable. A ‘small degree’ of level bite will allow class II classification only.

• Overshot and undershot bite is an eliminating fault – undershot; when the lower jaw is longer than upper jaw - is rarely seen.

• It is very rare to get missing canines or incisors.

• Wry bite is an eliminating fault – this can be seen with the mouth closed by looking down on the dog’s muzzle which will show a slight bend.

Overshot

Scissor bite

Young Handlers in ActionGSDCV Exhibition, Melbourne June 2016

At the recent GSDCV show, Salvatore Pitelli judged the Junior Handlers classes. Congrats to our 1st place winners, in action below

Trinity Jones Stephanie Jones

Ayden Jones Winners with Judge Salvatore Pitelli

VETEriNArY chat

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Neutering of German Shepherd Dogs: associated joint disorders, cancers and urinary incontinenceBenjamin L. Hart*, Lynette A. Hart†, Abigail P. Thigpen† and Neil H. Willits‡ *Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Cell Biology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, California, †Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, California, and ‡Department of Statistics, University of California-Davis, Davis, California,

AbstractGerman Shepherd Dogs are important in police and military work, and are a popular family pet. The debilitating joint disorders of hip dysplasia, cranial cruciate ligament tear (CCL) and elbow dysplasia can shorten a dog’s useful working life and impact its role as a family member. For this study, veterinary hospital records were examined over a 14.5-year period on 1170 intact and neutered (including spaying) German Shepherd Dogs for joint disorders and cancers previously associated with neutering. The diseases were followed through 8 years of age, with the exception of mammary cancer (MC) in females that was followed through 11 years. The cancers followed, apart from mammary, were osteosarcoma, lymphoma, hemangiosarcoma and mast cell tumour. In intact males, 7% were diagnosed with one or more joint disorders, while in males neutered prior to a year of age, a significantly higher 21% were diagnosed with one or more joint disorders. In intact females, 5% were diagnosed with one or more joint disorders, while in females neutered prior to a year of age, this measure was significantly increased to 16%. The increased joint disorder incidence mostly associated with early neutering was cranial cruciate ligament tear . Mammary cancer was diagnosed in 4% of intact females compared with less than 1% in females neutered before 1 year. The occurrence of the other cancers followed through 8 years of age was not higher in the neutered than in the intact dogs. Urinary incontinence, not diagnosed in intact females, was diagnosed in 7% of females neutered before 1 year, a significant difference. These findings, pro- filing the increase in joint disorders associated with early neutering, should help guide the timing of neutering for this breed.

IntroductionThe practices of spaying female and neutering male dogs, both referred to herein as neutering, have become routine in the U.S. in the last three decades20. In Europe, the practice of neutering varies among countries. Increasingly, in the U.S., neutering is being performed prior to 6 months, as commonly advocated by both veterinarians and shelter personnel. The basis of this perspective is mostly in the interest of pet population control.

Neutering, however, especially in the first year, can come with its costs with regard to debilitating joint disorders, namely, hip dysplasia (HD), cranial cruciate ligament tear or rupture (CCL) and elbow dysplasia (ED). Across several breeds, a study of CCL found that neutered males and females were two to three times more likely than intact dogs to have this disorder24. The same study also found a lesser, but significant, increase in HD in neutered compared with intact dogs. Neutering has also been shown to be associated with a threefold increase in excessive tibial plateau angle – a known risk factor for CCL6. Our recent studies on the effects of neutering in Golden and Labrador Retrievers19, 9 showed an increase in the incidence of one or more of these joint disorders, in male and female Golden Retrievers, to 4 - 5 times the 5% occurrence in intact dogs, and in male and female Labrador Retrievers, a doubling of the 5% incidence of intact dogs.

An increase in some cancers sometimes is also of concern with neutering, particularly with osteosarcoma (OSA), hemangiosarcoma (HSA), lymphoma (LSA) and mast cell tumours (MCT). A study on OSA in several breeds found a twofold increase in neutered dogs relative to intact dogs16. In spayed females, cardiac HSA was reported to be four times greater than that in intact females22, and in spayed females splenic HSA was reported at two times greater than in intact females13. The occurrence of LSA was found to be higher in spayed than in intact females21. Cutaneous MCT, as studied in several dog breeds, was four times greater than that of intact females in neutered females23.

In our studies involving the Golden Retriever19,9, we found that neutering at all neuter periods through 8 years of age increased the rate of at least one of the cancers by 3 - 4 times. Two other recent studies have also profiled the association of neutering with the occurrence of these cancers. A study utilising the U.S. nationwide Veterinary Medical

Database found that neutered males and females were more likely to die of a cancer than intact dogs10. A second study, utilising web-based, owner-reported disease occurrence in Vizslas, reported the incidence of cancers was higher in neutered dogs than in intact dogs25. In the above papers, the occurrence of mammary cancer (MC) was low in females left intact, and not significantly reduced by neutering.

Drawing from the same database as used with the retrievers mentioned above19, 9, the goal of this study was to statistically evaluate the relationships of neutering at different age periods with regard to the occurrence of major joint disorders, and the cancers mentioned above, in German Shepherd Dogs.

MethodsStudy parameters

Using data from the computerised veterinary hospital records of the University of California-Davis, Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital (VMTH), this study retrospectively examined the occurrence of joint disorders and cancers in male and female German Shepherd Dogs left intact and those neutered in the periods of <6 months, 6 - 11 months, 1 year (12 - 23 months) and 2 - 8 years. Joint disorders and cancers, except for MC, were tracked through the first 8 years of the dog’s life. The reason that 8 years of age was chosen for the cut-off is that beyond 9 years of age, one could argue that the influence of neutering is fading and other, ageing-associated factors, such as inflammation, start to play a more influential role. With MC, most cases are diagnosed after 8 years of age, with the median age of diagnosis being 10.1 years in one study3, so we tracked this disease in females through 11 years. The occurrences of urinary incontinence (UI) and pyometra (PYO) in females were tracked through 8 years.

No animal care and use committee approval was required because, in conformity with the campus policy, faculty of the School of Veterinary Medicine are allowed use of the record system for research purposes. Strict confidentiality of the owners and their dogs was maintained.

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Data collection and presentationThe VMTH is a primary care facility, as well as a secondary and tertiary care centre for referral cases. This hospital has a very large database, currently with approximately 50 000 cases per year. The subjects included were gonadally intact and neutered female and male German Shepherd Dogs admitted to the hospital between January 1, 2000 and June 30, 2014, representing 14.5 years of data. All cases of German Shepherd Dogs with information on date of birth, neuter status and age at neutering (if neutered) were included in the study. Extensive review of this database revealed that only 4% of 460 intact males and 14% of the 172 intact females were reported by the owner to be used for breeding.

As mentioned, age at neutering was categorised as <6 months, 6 - 11 months, 1 year (12 to <24 months) and 2 - 8 years (2 to <9 years). For some analyses, the cases for both <6 months and 6 - 11 months neuter periods were combined and referred to as early neutered (<12 months), because sometimes early neutering may refer to less than 1 year or less than 6 months. Only females were examined for MC, PYO and UI.

For all neutered dogs, records were reviewed to ensure that neutering occurred prior to the first clinical signs or diagnosis of any disease of interest. If a disease of interest occurred before neutering, the dog was considered as intact for that specific disease analysis, but was considered as neutered for a different disease that may have occurred after neutering. If a disease of interest occurred before January 1, 2000 or before 12 months of age, the case was deleted for that disease.

For cases where the hospital records on referral cases did not include age at neutering, telephone calls to the referring veterinarians were made to obtain the specific neutering dates. Because there were neutered dogs where age at neutering was not available from either the record or from the referring veterinarian and these cases could not be included, there were proportionately more intact cases in the final data set than would be expected in general. Nonetheless, the proportional differences on diseases between the intact and the various neutered dogs were not affected by the overrepresentation of intact dogs in the database.

The complete data set available totalled 1170 cases with 705 males, of which 245 were neutered and 460 were intact and 465 females, of which 293 were neutered and 172 intact. The number of cases reported for each disease varied somewhat because, as mentioned above, a case could be excluded for one disease analysis but included for another disease analysis.

In terms of inclusion criteria, a patient was considered as having a disease of interest if the diagnosis was made at the VMTH or by a referring veterinarian and later confirmed at the VMTH. Patients diagnosed with HD, ED and/or CCL presented with clinical signs such as difficulty moving, standing up, lameness and/or joint pain; diagnoses were confirmed based on radiographic evidence, orthopaedic physical examination and/or surgical confirmation. Diagnoses of the various cancers (LSA, HSA, OSA, MCT, MC) were accompanied by clinical signs such as enlarged lymph nodes, lumps on the skin or presence of masses, and confirmed based on imaging, appropriate blood cell analyses, chemical panels, histopathology and/or cytology. PYO was confirmed by ultrasonic evidence and/or post-surgically after removal of the uterus. UI was confirmed by clinical signs, urinalyses and exclusion of other diseases, such as urinary tract infection. When a diagnosis was listed in the record as ‘suspected’ based on clinical signs, but the diagnostic tests were inconclusive, the case was excluded from the analysis for that specific disease.

Figure 1 portrays single data points, corresponding to the various neuter ages, representing the incidence of dogs diagnosed with at least one joint disorder (after controlling for multiple diagnoses). The data for the incidence of individual joint disorders, cancers, PYO and UI at different neuter ages, and in intact dogs, are presented in Tables 1 - 3.

Body weights and body condition scores (BCS) are reported to be a factor in the occurrence of joint disorders7,4. Body weights are difficult to compare among dogs because of the confounding factor of variations in body height, so BCSs were used in comparing neutered dogs with and without a joint disorder for those conditions where analyses showed a significant association between neutering and the joint disorder. The BCS used by the VMTH is the standard 1 - 9 range where a score of 5 is optimal and a score of 9 represents the most overweight1. Typically, the BCS is assigned at the time of a patient’s visit to the hospital. The BCSs at the time of diagnosis of neutered dogs with a joint disorder were compared with BCSs of neutered dogs without the disorder at an age that fell within the range representing 80% of the ages of dogs with the disorder at the time of diagnosis.

Statistical analysesA survival analysis was used to compare the incidence rates of each disease between groups of animals defined in terms of their age at neutering. Patients were diagnosed at different ages and with varying years at risk from the effects of gonadal hormone removal. Animals that were intact at the time that a disease was diagnosed were treated as intact for the purposes of the analysis of that disease, even though they may subsequently have been neutered. Animals that were neutered prior to diagnosis were considered at risk for the period between neutering and diagnosis.

For the survival analyses, Cox proportional hazard models5,15 were used to test for differences with respect to the hazard of a disease among the neutered and intact groups while adjusting for the differences in time at risk between animals. In instances where the Cox models had computational issues when there were zero cases within one or more neutering groups, those groups were compared using a Kaplan–Meier life table analysis11. Analyses were run using the SAS software package, version 9.3. Post hoc comparisons among the sub- groups were based on least squares means of the hazard within each subgroup.

In the Results section, when significant differences were found between a neutered and an intact group, the P-values, based on the proportional hazard models, and the hazard ratio with 95% confidence intervals (CI) are reported. For all statistical tests, the two-tailed statistical level of significance was set at P < 0.05.

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ResultsJoint disorders, males

Figure 1 and Table 1 present the incidence of dogs having at least one of the joint disorders. The occurrence of at least one joint disorder in intact males was 6.6%. At neuter age <6 months, at least one of the joint disorders occurred in 20.8% of the males, three times that of intact males (Cox: P = 0.0025, hazard ratio = 4.47 [95% CI = 1.70, 11.80]). At neuter age 6 - 11 months, this incidence was 16.4%, more than double that of intact males (P = 0.0015, hazard ratio = 3.50 [1.62, 7.57]). Not surprisingly, combining cases in both of these early neuter periods also revealed a highly significant increase above that of intact males (P < 0.0001, hazard ratio = 3.79 [1.95, 7.37]).

As shown in Table 1, the main joint disorder in intact males was HD, occurring in about 5%. However, the main joint disorder increased by neutering in males was CCL. In intact males, CCL occurred in less than 1%, but for the <6 months and 6 - 11 months neuter periods, this joint disorder occurred in 12.5% and 8.3% of dogs, respectively, significantly higher than that of intact males (P < 0.001, hazard ratio = 26.16 [5.55, 123.29]) for both periods combined. At neuter period <6 months, HD was higher than intact males, but not significantly so. The median age of diagnosis of CCL in neutered males was 5 years, and for HD was 4.5 years. The occurrence of ED in intact males was about 2%, which was increased (non-significantly) to 4.4% and 5.3%, respectively, with the <6 months and 6 - 11 months periods. The median age of diagnosis of ED in neutered males was 1.5 years. The median BCSs of neutered males with CCL, HD and ED were all 5.0, which were the same as the median BCSs of neutered males without these joint disorders.

Joint disorders, femalesFigure 1 and Table 1 portray the incidence of females having at least one of the joint disorders at different neuter periods as well as in intact females. The occurrence of at least one joint disorder in intact females was 5.1%. At neuter age <6 months, at least one of the joint disorders occurred in 12.5% of dogs, more than double that of the intact females, and at the 6 - 11 months neuter age, this incidence increased to almost 17%, three times that of intact females. Combining cases in both of these early neuter periods revealed a significant increase above that of intact females (P = 0.0063, hazard ratio = 3.97 [1.48, 10.71]). As with intact males, and shown in Table 1, the main joint disorder of intact females was HD, occurring in about 4%. Also, like males, the main joint disorder associated with neutering was CCL. The occurrence of CCL, which was diagnosed in less than 1% of intact females, occurred in 4.6% of females neutered at <6 months and in 8.3% in those neutered at 6 - 11 months. Combining cases in both of these early neuter periods for CCL reveals a significant increase above intact females (P = 0.0328, hazard ratio = 9.49 [1.20, 74.90]). As with males, the incidence of HD associated with the early neuter periods increased, but did not reach significance compared with intact females. The median age of diagnosis of CCL in neutered females was 6 years, and 3 years for HD. There was no occurrence of ED in neutered females, and in the intact females, the occurrence was less than 1%. The median BCS of neutered females with HD was 4.5 and for neutered females without HD was 5. The median BCS of neutered females with CCL was 5.75 and for neutered females without CCL was 5.

Fig. 1 Incidences of the occurrences of at least one joint disorder in male and female German Shepherd Dogs, as a function of age at neutering. The horizontal lines show the occurrences in intact males and females for the same measures. Asterisks adjacent to a point indicate significant differences from the intact level. The pound sign next to two adjacent points indicates that, while neutering at the <6 months and 6–11 months periods alone did not reach significance, when cases for the two early neuter periods were combined, the result was significantly higher than that of intact females. The main joint disorder associated with neutering was cranial cruciate ligament tear or rupture (Table 1).

Cancers, malesThe underlying rate of intact males having at least one of the cancers was about 3%. As revealed in Table 2, neutering at any age period was not associated with any evident increase in cancer occurrence above the level of intact males. With LSA, occurring in 1.5% of intact males, there was a non-significant increase in incidence at the <6 months neuter period to 4.2%.

Cancers, femalesThe occurrence of at least one of the cancers in intact females was less than 1%. As in males, neutering at any age period was not associated with any evident increase in cancer occurrence above the level of intact females (Table 2). The occurrence of MC in intact females, and those neutered at various periods, is shown in Table 3. MC was diagnosed in 4.1% of intact females and in none of those neutered at <6 months, not a significant difference. For neutering beyond 6 months, MC occurred in a modestly increasing percentage of females, ranging up to 5% for females neutered at 2–8 years.

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Table 1. German Shepherd Dog males and females, joint disorders

Neuter age Hip Dysplasia CCL Elbow Dysplasia At least one

Male <6 months 2/23 (8.7) 3/24 (12.5) 1/23 (4.35) 5/24 (20.83)

Male 6–11 months 3/55 (5.45) 5/60 (8.33) 3/57 (5.26) 9/55 (16.36)

(Male <12 months) 5/78 (6.41) 8/84 (9.52) 4/80 (5) 14/79 (17.72)

Male 1 year 2/58 (3.45) 1/61 (1.64) 2/60 (3.33) 5/58 (8.62)

Male 2–8 years 2/90 (2.22) 1/97 (1.03) 1/99 (1.01) 4/89 (4.49)

Male intact 21/445 (4.72) 3/458 (0.66) 8/456 (1.75) 29/440 (6.59)

Female <6 months 3/41 (7.32) 2/44 (4.55) 0/43 (0) 5/40 (12.5)

Female 6–11 months 6/80 (7.5) 7/84 (8.33) 0/80 (0) 13/77 (16.88)

(Female <12 months) 9/121 (7.44) 9/128 (7.03) 0/123 (0) 18/110 (16.36)

Female 1 year 1/35 (2.86) 0/36 (0) 0/36 (0) 1/35 (2.86)

Female 2–8 years 4/91 (4.4) 1/95 (1.05) 0/96 (0) 5/90 (5.56)

Female intact 6/157 (3.82) 1/159 (0.63) 1/158 (0.63) 8/156 (5.13)

The occurrences of joint disorders are portrayed for the different neuter periods; the periods <6 months and 6–11 months are combined in the <12 months period, representing early neutering. The columns represent hip dysplasia (HD), cranial cruciate ligament tear or rupture (CCL), and elbow dysplasia (ED). Shown are number of cases over number in the pool, with percentages given in parentheses. When bolded the incidence is significantly above that of intact dogs (see text).

Table 2. German Shepherd Dog males and females, cancers

Neuter age LSA MCT HSA OSA At least one

Male 6–11 months 0/60 (0) 0/60 (0) 0/60 (0) 0/60 (0) 0/60 (0)

Male 1 year 1/61 (1.64) 0/61 (0) 0/61 (0) 0/61 (0) 1/61 (1.64)

Male 2–8 years 1/100 (1) 0/99 (0) 0/100 (0) 1/100 (1) 2/99 (2.02)

Male intact 7/452 (1.55) 2/458 (0.44) 3/457 (0.66) 1/458 (0.22) 13/450 (2.89)

Female <6 months 0/43 (0) 0/43 (0) 0/44 (0) 1/44 (2.27) 1/42 (2.38)

Female 6–11 months 0/86 (0) 0/85 (0) 0/86 (0) 0/86 (0) 0/85 (0)

Female 1 year 0/35 (0) 0/35 (0) 0/36 (0) 0/36 (0) 0/34 (0)

Female 2–8 years 1/95 (1.05) 1/96 (1.04) 0/94 (0) 0/95 (0) 2/93 (2.15)

Female intact 1/158 (0.63) 0/159 (0) 0/159 (0) 0/159 (0) 1/158 (0.63)

The occurrences of cancers are portrayed for the different neuter periods; the periods <6 months and 6–11 months are combined in the <12 months period, representing early neutering. The columns represent the occurrences of lymphosarcoma (LSA), mast cell tumour (MCT), hemangiosarcoma (HSA), osteosarcoma (OSA) and the occurrence of at least 1 of the cancers. Shown are number of cases over number in the pool, with percentages given in parentheses.

Urinary incontinence and pyometra

There was no occurrence of UI in intact females. In females neutered at <6 months, the incidence of UI was 4.7%. For those neutered at 6–11 months the incidence was 7.3%, which was a significant increase compared with intact females (Kaplan–Meier: P < 0.05). The mean age of onset of UI in early neutered females was 5.2 years. The occurrence of PYO in intact females was 2.5%.

Table 3. German Shepherd Dog females, occurrences of mammary cancer (MC), pyometra (PYO) and urinary incontinence (UI)

Neuter age MC PYO UIFemale <6 months 0/46 (0) 0/44 (0) 2/43 (4.65)Female 6 - 11 months 1/91 (1.11) 0/86 (0) 6/83 (7.22)Female 1 year 1/37 (2.7) 0/33 (0) 1/36 (2.78)Female 2 - 8 years 5/102 (4.9) 0/91 (0) 1/95 (1.05)Female intact 7/173 (4.1) 4/163 (2.45) 0/156 (0)

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Discussion

The findings reported here on the popular German Shepherd Dog with regard to joint disorders are particularly important because joint disorders, such as CCL and HD, are painful for the dog, create a burden for those caring for the dog, and can disqualify the dog as a working partner in military and police work.

This study reveals that in males, neutering within the first year of life is associated with a highly significant, threefold risk of acquiring at least one joint disorder: up to 21% compared with 7% in males left intact or neutered beyond the first year. In females, neutering within the first year is also associated with a highly significant threefold risk of acquiring at least one joint disorder: up to 17% compared with 5% in females left intact or neutered beyond 1 year

The numbers of cases are shown, over the numbers in the pool, with percentages given in parentheses. For MC, the occurrence was tracked through 11 years of age (see text), whereas with PYO and UI, the occurrence was tracked through 8 years of age. When bolded the incidence is significantly above that of intact dogs (see text).

Agencies acquiring a German Shepherd as a police or military working companion, or a family adopting a German Shepherd puppy companion pet, are wise to take into account the genetic variables in joint disorders. This breed has been the focus of several studies on the occurrence of HD, referred to as the most common hereditary skeletal disorder18. In fact, genetic studies on HD relate the occurrence to single-nucleotide polymorphisms in several quantitative trait loci8. Interestingly, our study reveals that while cranial cruciate ligament tear or rupture is rather infrequent in intact males and females, it is cranial cruciate ligament tear or rupture rather than hip dysplasia that is especially associated with early neutering. As shown in this study, delaying neutering until the dog is at least a year of age appears to avoid the increase in risks of joint disorders is associated with neutering. This is a consideration for joint disease control that is immediately available.

The results of this study on CCL are consistent with those on the Golden Retriever and Labrador Retriever from this centre19, 9 and other studies mentioned in the Introduction. The limitations of this study are that the reported results regarding joint disorders and cancers in the intact dogs will not necessarily represent an accurate occurrence of the disease syndromes among the various strains of German Shepherd Dogs. One might also wonder about differences in dogs presented to the hospital and used for the database compared with those seen in primary practices. From our investigations, we have not detected any differences.

With regard to a mechanism by which early gonadectomy may be related to an increased occurrence in joint disorders, we suggest a hypothesis stemming from studies on the closure of long-bone growth plates by gonadal hormone secretion as the animal approaches maturity17, 12. The hypothesis is that neutering much before bone growth plate closure is complete allows the bones to grow a little longer than normal, and that this disturbs the joint alignment in some dogs sufficiently to lead to a clinically apparent joint disorder that would not have been evident had the dog been neutered beyond puberty.

Body weight, when elevated much above normal for the breed, can also be related to the occurrence of joint disorders7,4. In this study, BCSs of neutered dogs with the joint disorders related to neutering were compared with BCSs of neutered dogs without the joint disorders. The median BCSs for both male and female neutered dogs with a joint disorder were the same as, or close to, the ideal score of 5, as were BCSs of neutered dogs without the disorder. There were similar findings in the Golden and Labrador Retrievers9.

Thus, while body weight probably plays a role in the development of a joint disorder in overweight dogs, the findings presented here are consistent with the perspective that the increase in joint disorders in neutered dogs is at least partially due to the effect of gonadal hormonal removal in delaying long-bone growth plate closure.

With regard to cancers, in contrast to the Golden Retriever where the female is particularly vulnerable to the effects of neutering on the occurrence of cancers19, 9, this study on the German Shepherd Dog reveals that whether the dog was intact or neutered, there was a low level of occurrence of the particular cancers that were followed. The caveat is the cancers were only tracked through 8 years for the reasons explained in the methods.

One of the frequently mentioned advantages of early neutering of female dogs is protection against mammary cancer (MC)14. While none of the females neutered at <6 months were diagnosed with MC, we found that only 4% of intact females followed through 11 years were diagnosed with MC. Neutering at 1 year and beyond resulted in an incidence level about the same as intact females. There may be important genetic breed-line differences in the occurrence of MC that are not portrayed in the database. But, the relatively low level of MC occurrence in the intact females suggests that MC is not a major disease for this breed, at least through 11 years of age. Relevant to the discussion of MC is the recent meta-analysis of published studies on neutering females and MC, finding that the evidence linking neutering to a reduced risk of MC is weak2.

Urinary incontinence (UI) in neutered females is a concern of many dog caregivers as the dog ages. For the dogs tracked through 8 years of age in this study, UI reached a level of 7% in females neutered before 1 year. In females neutered at 1 year and beyond, the incidence of this problem dropped, and was not diagnosed at all in intact females.

In conclusion, with the current focus on avoiding joint disorders in German Shepherd Dogs, the findings provided here offer some evidence-based guidelines in deciding upon the age to neuter a puppy to reduce the risk of one or more joint disorders.

AcknowledgementsSpecial thanks are extended to Marty Bryant, Valerie Caceres, Sara Sewell, Emily Romanko and Aaron Frankel. We appreciate the epidemiological consultation provided by Hsin-Yi Weng.

Source of FundingSupported by the Canine Health Foundation (#01488-A) and the Center for Companion Animal Health, University of California, Davis (# 2009-54-F/M).

Conflicts of interestThe research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

ContributionsConceived and designed study: BH, LH, AT; collected and complied and analysed data: AT, BH, LH; statistical analyses: NW; drafted and edited manuscript: BH, LH, AT, NW.

VETEriNArY chat

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References1. Baldwin K., Bartges J., Buffington T., Freeman L.M., Gra- bow M., Legred J. &

Ostwald D. (2010) AAHA nutri- tional assessment guidelines for dogs and cats. Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association 46, 285– 296.

2. Beauvais W., Cardwell J.M. & Brodbelt D.C. (2012) The effect of neutering on the risk of mammary tumours in dogs – a systematic review. Journal of Small Animal Practice 53, 314–322.

3. Cohen D., Reif J.S., Brodey R.S. & Keiser H. (1974) Epidemiological analysis of the most prevalent sites and types of canine neoplasia observed in a veterinary hospital. Cancer Research 34, 2859–2868.

4. Comhaire F.H. & Snaps F. (2008) Comparison of two canine registry databases on the prevalence hip dysplasia by breed and body weight and height. American Journal of Veterinary Research 232, 330–333.

5. Cox D.R. (1972) Regression models and life tables (with discussion). Journal of the Royal Statistical Society 34, 187–220.

6. Duerr F.M., Duncan C.G., Savicky R.S., Park R.D., Egger E.L. & Palmer R.H. (2007) Risk factors for excessive tibial plateau angle in large-breed dogs with cranial cruciate disease. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 231, 1688–1691.

7. Duval J.M., Budsberg S.C., Flo G.L. & Sammarco J.L. (1999) Breed, sex, and body weight as risk factors for rupture of the cranial cruciate ligament in young dogs. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 215, 811–814.

8. Fels L. & Distl O. (2014) Identification and validation of quantitative trait loci (QTL) in German Shepherd Dogs. PLoS One 9, 5. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0096618.

9. Hart B.L., Hart L.A., Thigpen A.P. & Willits N.H. (2014) Long-term health effects of neutering dogs: comparison of Labrador Retrievers with Golden Retrievers. PLoS One 9, 7. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0102241.

10. Hoffman J.M., Creevy K.E. & Promislow D.E.L. (2013) Reproductive capability is associated with lifespan and cause of death in companion dogs. PLoS One 8, 4. doi:10.1371.

11. Kalbfleisch J.D. & Prentice R.L. (1980) The Statistical Analysis of Failure Time Data. Wiley & Sons: New York.

12. Perry R.J., Farquharson C. & Ahmed S.F. (2008) The role of sex steroids in controlling pubertal growth. Clinical Endocrinology 68, 4–15.

13. Prymak C., McKee L.J., Goldschmidt M.H. & Glickman L.T. (1988) Epidemiologic, clinical, pathologic, and prognostic characteristics of splenic hemangiosarcoma and splenic hematoma in dogs: 217 cases (1985). Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 193, 706–712.

14. Root Kustritz M.V. (2007) Determining the optimal age for gonadectomy of dogs and cats. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 231, 1665–1675.

15. Rothman K.J. & Greenland S. (1998) Modern Epide- miology. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins: Philadelphia.

16. Ru G., Terracini B. & Glickman L.T. (1998) Host related risk factors for canine osteosarcoma. The Veterinary Journal 156, 31–39.

17. Salmeri K.R., Bloomberg M.S., Scruggs S.L. & Shille V. (1991) Gonadectomy in immature dogs: effects on skeletal, physical, and behavioral development. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 1991, 1193–1203.

18. Smith G.K., Mayhew P.D., Kapatkin A.S., McKelvie P.J. & Shofer F.S. (2001) Evaluation of risk factors for degenerative joint disorders associated with hip dysplasia in German Shepherd dogs, golden retrievers, labrador retrievers, and rottweilers. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 219, 1719–1724.

19. Torres de la Riva G., Hart B.L., Farver T.B., Oberbauer A.M., McV Messam L.L., Willits N. & Hart L.A. (2013) Neutering dogs: effects on joint disorders and cancers in golden retrievers. PLoS One 8, 2. doi:10.1371/journal. pone.0055937.

20. Trevejo R., Yang M. & Lund E.M. (2011) Epidemiology of surgical castration of dogs and cats in the United States. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 238, 898–904.

21. Villamil J.A., Henry C.J., Hahn A.W., Bryan J.N., Tyler J.W. & Caldwell C.W. (2009) Hormonal and sex impact on the epidemiology of canine lymphoma. Journal of Cancer Epidemiology 2009, 1–7. doi:10.1155/2009/591753.

22. Ware W.A. & Hopper D.L. (1999) Cardiac tumors in dogs: 1982–1995. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine 13, 95–103.

23. White C.R., Hohenhaus A.E., Kelsey J. & Procter-Grey E. (2011) Cutaneous MCTs: associations with spay/ neuter status, breed, body size, and phylogenetic cluster. Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association 47, 210–216.

24. Witsberger T.H., Villamil J.A., Schultz L.G., Hahn A.W. & Cook J.L. (2008) Prevalence of, and risk factors for, hip dysplasia and cranial cruciate ligament deficiency in dogs. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 232, 1818–1824.

25. Zink M.C., Farhoody P., Elser S.E., Ruffini L.D., Gibbons T.A. & Rieger R.H. (2013) Evaluation of the risk and age of onset of cancer and behavioral disorders in gonadectomized Vizslas. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 244, 309–319.

Science saving dogs from deadly snake bitesAustralia is home to 10 of the most venomous snakes in the world and thousands of dogs are bitten each year in Australia.

The number that die is set to reduce significantly thanks to a new antivenom developed by CSIRO.

Thankfully the number of people who die from snake bites has significantly reduced over the past few decades as medical expertise has advanced and antivenoms are more readily available.

Our pets however are still at risk as treatments can be expensive and not as effective as they could be.

CSIRO scientists worked with Padula Serums Pty Ltd, a small biotech company in regional Victoria to produce an antivenom to treat Eastern Brown and Tiger snake bites.

Dr Andrew Padula of Padula Serums said that working with CSIRO helped turn his idea into a reality.

“I’ve been working on antivenom serums for dogs and cats for a while now but I really needed the expert equipment and skills of the CSIRO scientists to make the best product possible,” Dr Padula said.

Prof George Lovrecz from CSIRO’s manufacturing team explains that this new process is much more effective that those currently on the market because it is distilled and concentrated to create a pure, fully-tested antivenom which is ready to be injected into snake-bitten dogs.

“We used the latest technologies to make sure that the anti-venom is not only safe and effective but it’s also a lot cheaper to produce compared to existing products,” Prof Lovrecz said.

With this more effective and lower cost product, more dogs will be able to be saved from deadly snake bites.

Once final testing has been completed and the antivenom has been given approval for sale from the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority it will be available on the market and stocked by vets around the country.

www.csiro.au, July 8 2016

OTHEr news

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The GSDCA Dog Database has been available to members of the GSD Clubs throughout Australia since 1st January 2015.

This is controlled by passwords allocated to the GSDCA Member Clubs, which they will distribute to their financial members. The passwords will change every year in line with the Club financial year. If you do not have the password please contact your Club Membership Officer or Secretary.

What’s in the database and why should you look ?

Dog Database

This is a listing of GSD registrations, and is updated approximately quarterly from the ANKC registrations. Registrations are currently up to 25th July 2016 - being 292,000+ dogs.

Tattoo/Microchip Database

Microchips are provided by the ANKC when the registrations are updated, and have been since 2012 when microchipping became compulsory for registrations.

We are experiencing a number of errors (transcription errors and not having the required 15 digits) which can cause delays and angst as the dogs progress through HD/ED and Breed Survey.

Breeders can play a significant role in ensuring the accuracy by checking the Registration papers when they get them back from their Canine Control.

Tattoos:

It is important that we get the tattoo information into the database. This is done by the Club Tattoo Registrars from your Litter Tattoo Forms.

If you are one of those breeders that are still tattooing can you please check your litters in the database, and contact your Club Tattoo Registrar if there are any missing.

Hip and Elbow (HD/ED) Database

There are now over 10,000 results in the database.

The results are available for viewing on the database once the HD/ED Certificate has been sent to the Owners, but the GSDCA rules re confidentiality of information have been maintained - i.e. failures are not printed, the same practice that was used in the printed Breed Survey Books.

Breed Survey Database

There are now over 1,000 results in the database.

The results are available for viewing on the database once the Breed Survey Certificate has been sent to the Owners.

I have completed entering breed surveys back to 2011, and currently working on 2010. Previous years will continue to be entered as time permits.

Breed Surveyors have recently been provided access to the database to enter the results of dogs that they have surveyed since 1st September 2016.

It is anticipated that this will assist in speeding up the turn-around on the Breed Survey Certificates, however all paperwork and especially PHOTO’s must be forwarded to the NBC Chair before the certificate can be issued.

Got a Query?

The information contained in the database has been collated with a great level of care. If you believe there has been any error or omission, please email your concerns to [email protected] along with the appropriate supporting documentation.

Access the database from the GSDCA website homepage or visit the database http://database.gsdcouncilaustralia.org

Frank MoodyGSDCA Database Coordinator

GSDCA Dog Database Update

2016 Seiger Show

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Once again a large contingent of Aussies made the annual pilgrimage to the German Sieger Show, this year held in Nuremberg, from 2nd – 5th of September.

From all reports it was again a great event, culminating in the excitement of the Open classes and the presentation of the VA groups.

Amid the shopping, socialising and interactions, thanks to all those who posted facebook videos, photos and posts of the dogs in the rings. It kept all those interested at home up to date with the action, and for many provided a feeling of ‘almost being there’.

Stock Coat Males

VA1 Ballack von der BruckneralleeVA2 Willas vom GrafenbrunnVA3 Cronos del SeprioVA4 Marlo von BaccaraVA5 Quoran d’ UlmentalVA6 Risco vom SuentelsteinVA7 Willy vom KuckuckslandVA8 Gary vom HühnegrabVA9 Yuri vom Osterberger-LandVA10 Djambo vom Fichtenschlag

Stock Coat Females

VA1 Oililly von der Piste TropheVA2 Gamba vom HühnegrabVA3 Damina vom FichtenschlagVA4 Tinkerbell von der BaiertalerstraßeVA5 Zoe von der Burg ReichensteinVA6 Idanja vom Holtkämper HofVA7 Isia du Val D’AnzinVA8 Prisca von Bad-BollVA9 Beauty vom Drei BirkenzwingerVA10 Paris di Casa MassarelliVA11 Tosca d’ UlmentalVA12 Peperoni von Arlett

Long Stock Hair Males

VA1 Jackson vom ZisawinkelVA2 Bellamie vom Praester-LandVA3 Romeo vom Haus-FahrigVA4 Pan-Tau von ModithorVA5 Diaz von Veterinaria

Long Stock Hair Females

VA1 Lisa von SilvalacusVA2 Tinta vom FichtenschlagVA3 Hannah vom HeidknappVA4 Meggy vom Wierlings HookVA5 Wicky v Team Radsieksbeeke

Full results for those interested can be found here www.schaeferhunde.de/bsz/ergebnisse.

Ballack

Ballack von der Brucknerallee

Oilily von der Piste Trophe

Jackson vom Zisawinkel

Lisa von Silvalacus

BALLS! BALLS!! BALLS!!!

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NEWS FrOM OUr member clubs

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GSD LEAGUE NSW IncPRESIDENTMr.GregJonesPh:(02)4753-6073M:[email protected]:(02)4777-4241M:[email protected]

Thank goodness it is now spring and we can all start climbing out from under our rocks and get into the warmer weather. Winter certainly slows things down, too cold to go out and train, but now they should start to stir.

We have lost a lot of training sessions due to rain during the winter sessions and the grounds being closed, but still there has been members braving the elements and doing the show circuits with some success keeping the flag flying. We have had a couple of public displays with the club members participating with their dogs. Firstly by Dogs NSW Dogs on Show, where we had a stall with a good attendance by members presenting their dogs to the general public with a good response. The biggest event was the Dog Lovers Show at the Sydney Showground at Moore Park over two days. It was a complete success with over 25 thousand people coming through the gates and our position was such that we got maximum passing traffic, where we got tremendous interest and direct contact with the people passing through, with our member’s dogs getting plenty of attention. One has to watch that the dogs presented got some breaks and fresh ones brought out, but this worked well with no stress placed on the dogs.

Special thanks must go to the members that attended the Dog Lovers Show that made themselves and their dogs available for this valuable publicity exercise for the German Shepherd Dog. A very pleasing result for all who participated. Some of the members attended both days, thanks for the effort guys.

Training carried on as usual allowing for the wet weather and cancellations but the hardy and brave still attended in the vain hope that they might get some training in.

On a sad note! It does not seem to end but we lost another three members since the last report. They being Life members Elvina Brodie who with her husband Don worked in the obedience and tracking area. Lorraine Spalding, the wife of Colin Spalding a past President of the GSDL and Stephen Choy, long time member who fought a long fight against his illness with his wife Hetty beside him all the way. Another past member Uli Schwab, who was responsible for the formation and making National the Tattoo Scheme. He would be remembered by many of the older members of the fraternity. Condolences to their family and friends at this sad time.

Cheers

Terry JarvisPublicity Officer

GSDC of TASMANIA PRESIDENTMr.DaveGriffinPh:(03)62614237or0449719885E-Maildgriffin1@internode.on.netSECRETARYMrs.GabriellePeacockMobile:[email protected]

To date, this has been a very mixed year for the club to say the least. We commenced the year with our February Show followed by the State Breed Assessment in May; both of which could best be described as excellent pre-cursers to the National which was held in Sydney, where a number of Tasmanian entries did the club and their owners proud; with special mention being made of the “Gold Medal Winner” for the Female Stock Coat, namely: - Zicke Vom Feuermelder (DEU) aED owned by J. Hasse / B. Oar.

However as August begins, the Tasmanian Bureau of Meteorology identified that the average rainfall for Tasmania, over the months of May, June and July was 788mm. This not only beat the previous record set way back in 1931, where 714mm was recorded for the average rainfall over the same period; but resulted in significant flooding in parts of the state. Unfortunately the GSDCT was

not immune in this period, as both our club grounds and club rooms were inundated with flood waters, estimated at the flood peak of close to one metre in depth.

The club grounds took considerable time to dry out, with the net result being that training on the ground was suspended for the month of July and the early part of August. Of more concern was the damage to the club rooms and equipment stored within. With the exception of some minor electrical appliances and show ring equipment stored on shelving above the level reached by the flood waters, virtually all other equipment, including tables, major electrical appliances, couches, carpets, white boards, scales etc. was destroyed. On top of that, structural damage to the internal wall within the club building itself will necessitate replacement, including floor coverings, as well as repairs to timber shelving, and other miscellaneous areas requiring attention.

Whilst the club has sought flood assistance grants from government to assist with repairs and replacements, what has been warmly felt by the club and in fact makes us feel very humble, is the tremendous generosity displayed by member clubs of the German Shepherd Fraternity who have stepped up and offered donations of support. On behalf of the GSDCT we thank you one and all in the highest manner possible.

In July, the club held its Annual General Meeting and the incoming president thanked the outgoing executive and committee for their past service and contributions to the club and welcomed in the new.

As the club looks to the remainder of the year with the upcoming September Show and annual Christmas function in December it is probably apt to coin a well known movie phrase....”We’ll be Back!”.

Dave Griffin03/09/16


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NEWCASTLE & HUNTER REGION GSDCPRESIDENTMr.SeanLynchMobile:0467798973E-Mailslynch@newcastlehino.com.auSECRETARYMrs.LeeanneLynchMobile:[email protected]

The club is going along well and members are looking forward to getting out more with their dogs as the weather improves. Our August show and trial went very smoothly, with a championship show on Saturday and a members competition on Sunday. Our judges were Robyn Knuckey and Mel Groth, with our obedience judge being Ali O’Brien. The weather was much kinder to us than was predicted and everyone seemed to enjoy the weekend and the judging of all these lovely ladies.

We will do another back pack walk and breed survey soon, for details please consult our website. www.newcastlegsd.com.

The club continues to support all GSDCA breed schemes and things are running along smoothly. Our Annual General Meeting is 11th October and we would like to see as many members there as possible to enable you to have input into how your club is run. At the time of writing this, many of our fellow enthusiasts are at the German Sieger show and it is fabulous, albeit making me somewhat jealous, to see their wonderful posts and photos. There are truly some lovely animals and it is something we can all aspire to.

As the weather warms up please be mindful of tick prevention, as I hear the season has started early with gusto, in addition remember to keep your dog’s cool and exercise appropriately in the hotter weather.

Until next time, enjoy your dogs….. Cheers

Leeanne

GSDC of VICTORIAPRESIDENTMr.VinceEbejerPh:(03)9467-8653M:0411462358E-Mailpresident@gsdcv.org.auSECRETARYMrs.MellissaSiktarsPh:(03)98000999M:[email protected]

GERMAN SHEPHERDDOG CLUB OF VICTORIA

Life at our training branches never stops, and as we exit winter, things ramp up even more !!

Geelong branch have done a demo at the Wyndham Pet and Animal Expo, and Gippsland went on a branch camping trip ! In September Skye branch hosted a Puppy Instructor course with Vicki Austin and also have Boyd Hooper return for another informative seminar on Training of High Performance Dogs. And at Malvern, bacon and egg brekkies (and snags for the dogs) have kept the members full and happy for training. What a great range of activities we see across our branches.

There is of course lots of tracking, obedience and rally activity in the cooler months, with lots of successes for members. Congrats this issue to our Gippsland members on their successes. Alicia Hart and her dog Shasha (Djenuen Eye Appeal) achieved their Novice title. Lyn McAlpine and her dog Wolfie (BOZEEB Ultra Wolf) also gained their Rally Advanced title recently. Alan Purcell with his dog Aela (Von Forell Niza) is well on the way with tracking, achieving passes in track 1 and Track 2. Keep up the good work and trhe results will keep coming !.

In the Rally rings, Alex Cogdell and his girl Tia (CH Vindel Rubee Tuseday CD RAE RM ‘A’’Z’) gained their Rally Obedience Champion Title in August. What a champion team and high achievers to boot !

Even the number of our specialist dogs going to all breeds show is on the up, from all reports they have a lot of fun outside of the ring too That’s what makes it fun.

Training continues for our aspiring Instructor program as practical sessions at branches take place to put things learned into action and theory lectures continue, most recently on

training equipment, how adults learn and the keys to taking a successful training class. Its great to see what some members want to put back into the club.

In August we held 2 new shows with specialist judges. We teamed up with Lillydale Kennel Club where Andrew Jones (Vic) judged, with the following winners: Open Dog SC *CH VONPETA UGOTTABEKIDDING and Open Bitch SC *CH JAYSHELL WINONA, Open Dog LSC - *CH JAYSHELL GLASGOW and Open Bitch LSC *ZANDRAC DUCHESS SATINE KRYZE. There was great applause when it came to the Challenge lineup and the Jayshell girls teamed up for the SC Bitch Challenges. Jayshell Winona won Challenge Bitch and Best of Breed and Jayshell Kenzie Challenge Runner Up and RUBOB. Woo hoo to Winnie and Kenzie !

The next day, we held our inaugural GSDCV GSD Exhibition, where Natalie Humphries (WA) was the judge. Her winners were Open Dog SC *MISTEISHAH FLETCHER, Open Bitch SC *CH JAYSHELL WINONA, Open dog LSC *ZANDRAC DARTH VADAR and Open Bitch LSC *CH ZANDRAC DUCHESS SATINE KRYZE.

Above: Winnie ( Jayshell Winona) strutting her stuff

Salvatore Pitelli joined us as part of his Specialist judging course, and he kindly judged the Junior handler classes. The Jones’ kids had this all wrapped up, with Trinity, Stephanie and Ayden winning each of their age groups. Nice work !

Our next structural assessment will be at Gippsland in October and rumour has it another 25 dogs will participate. There is great interest in this concept from our training branches and general members, who appreciate the opportunity to learn more about the conformation of their dogs.

My Shepherd, My Friend, My Responsibility


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GSDC of QUEENSLANDPRESIDENTMs.SharonBallantyneMobile:0408702766E-Mailpresident@gsdcqld.org.auSECRETARYMrs.DianeBallantyneMobile:[email protected]

Greetings from ever Sunny Queensland. If this year is an example of what is to come, we need to remove the season Winter from Queensland and replace it with a couple of chilly days. Apart from the ongoing behind the scenes planning and organizing of the 2017 National Show & Trial, we have been busy with other events. The State Breed Exhibition will be the last event until the BIG One in May next year. On 13th August, Zone 2 hosted a rather busy Breed Survey and our thanks goes to Mrs. Fay Stokes & Mrs. Carol O’Rourke for giving up their time to travel north and for surveying the 11 dogs presented - 8 Stock Coats and 3 Long Stock Coats. A successful day with all dogs receiving their classification. Results are available on the Club Facebook page. The survey was followed by an Open Show judged by Mrs. Gay McNeill. Best Dog went to *Sup Ch. Freevale Sky Lark ET AZ and Best Bitch was Freestien Qwacked Pepper AZ. In the Long Stock Coats Best Dog was *Ch. Volscaro Summer Thunder AZ and Best Bitch and Best in Show went to the consistent *Sup Ch. Avahlee Girls Keep Secrets ET AZ. On Sunday Zone 2 then hosted their 2016 Members Competition judged by the well-respected Mrs. Fay Stokes. Our thanks again to Fay for covering the weekend at short notice due to Russell Wenham being unable to attend. Best Dog again was*Sup Ch. Freevale Sky Lark ET AZ and Best Bitch went to *Ch. Kantenna Coz I Can AZ. Best LSC dog was *Amberg Vacco AZ and Best Bitch going to *Sup Ch. Avahlee Girls Keep Secrets ET AZ.

Great to see so many Aussies from all States making the pilgrimage to Nuremberg for the 2016 German Sieger show including some Queensland members. Many envious ones at home following them closely via Facebook. How wonderful is the technology of today so we can do this? I am sure they will come home full of memories, experiences & knowledge that they will no doubt happily share with us.

September 11th saw our 2016 State Breed Exhibition with Russell Wenham back judging after a short break. Good to see him back in top form and out enjoying the dogs. Queensland Sieger SC for the second time was *Xaro von der Plassenburg aED owed by Andrew & Rachael Jones and Siegerin SC was *Andacht Pepery AZ owned by Jay Brandon and Don Brown. Both Xaro and Pepery had lovely progeny high on the pegs. In the LSC’s *Amberg Vacco AZ owned by Chris Cheffirs was the Sieger and once again *Sup. Ch. Avahlee Girls Keep Secrets AZ owned by Judith and Irene Hayton was the Siegerin.

The Restricted Obedience Trial was judged by Laura Schminke and great to see two dogs qualify. 1st UD with 180 points was Debbie Hart’s Trangold Dare to Be Different and first in Novice with 187 points was B & V Tebble’s Beychief Hailstorm. In the Open class 1st place went to *Ch. Abelara Kind Spirits AZ CCD TD ET RN owned by Ann Clarkson and 1st in the CCD class also owned by Ann was Abelara Xena. All reports were that everyone had a good day.

Now the fun starts! Uninterrupted freedom to concentrate on the 45th National Show & Trial being held on the 19th, 20th & 21st May 2017. The Queensland Club are becoming pretty excited looking towards what promises to be a wonderful few days. Keep making your plans as well so you can be a part of it, you don’t want to miss it, trust us. No need to pack any glad rags for social events. The Presidents Dinner is being held in a “smart casual” establishment just 10 minutes from the grounds. Saturday night will be a FUN night at the grounds - you may need something ‘psychedelic baby’!

As always, continue to enjoy this wonderful breed of ours and remember it is what brought us all together in the first place. Our one common love – the German Shepherd Dog.

SC State Sieger and Siegerin with judge Russell Wenham

LSC State Sieger and Siegerin with judge Russell Wenham

ACT GSDAPRESIDENTMr.WolfMeffertPh:(02)6226-3959M:0414302456E-Mailwmeffert@bigpond.net.auSECRETARYMs.VeronicaFairbairnPh:(02)[email protected]


25

GSDA of WESTERN AUSTRALIA Mr.IanMarrPh:(08)9305-2193M:[email protected]:[email protected]

G’day from W.A.

We had one of the most successful weekends in recent memory when we celebrated the lives of two G.S.D. personalities - Walter Martin and Rick Richardson. We held a double header with Greg Green and Honey Gross-Richardson adjudicating. We could not have asked for a more positive atmosphere and great sportsmanship. A fitting tribute in our 40th year since the lifting of the ban here in W.A.

* Schaeferhund Rafael (Best in Show) and * Shaygar Willo the Wisp (Runner up in Show). With our judges Mr Greg Green (Victoria) & Mrs Honey Gross-Richardson (W.A.)

The weekend also gave us a chance to award Albert Boeyinga with a photo array of Amus Iljaberg Yukone, Gold recipient of the G.S.D.C.A. service award and another centurion Saarbachtal Red Renata.

We had a change by holding our A.G.M. on a Sunday this year. The Management Committee and officers of the Association only had one change - our treasurer (second only to Wayne Swann) Eric Herson retired, being replaced by Joan McMulkin. We are experimenting with Sunday meetings to encourage people to attend. The first one was well attended with lively debate and constructive input.

Over the next two weekends we will hold the Endurance Test, V.I.M.S. and Montemelia cups and our graduations. Coming up is our next Character and Working Test - Good luck to all.

Next month will be busy with our Special General meetings and we look forward to our next Members’ Competition and Open show adjudicated by Natalie Humphries and Penny Kelly and the West Coast Challenge, to be judged by Herr Harald Hohmann (Gmy) plus of course our Obedience & Rally O Trials.

November will see us winding down with a talk on Haemangiosarcoma, Graduation, Closed Club Trial, Fun day and Christmas celebrations - Life is never dull in the West

Regards

Margaret AdamsEditor

GSDC of NORTHERN TERRITORY PRESIDENTMrs.MargaretAdamsPh:(08)8988-6956M:0418899713Emailmarg@goodgolly.com.auSECRETARYMrs.MargaretFrancisEmail:[email protected]

GSDC of SOUTH AUSTRALIAPRESIDENTMr.JohnDeLuciaPh:(08)8522-1692M:0417811787E-Mailjjdelucia@bigpond.comSECRETARYMr.StephenCollinsPh:(08)8556-2340M:[email protected]

CLUB spotlight

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German Shepherd Dog League NSW IncThis is a précis of the development of the GSDL. It is taken from written, self read and personal knowledge on the history of the German Shepherd Dog League NSW Inc since the early forties.

The GSDL was formed in the early 1940’s and meetings were held in the Railway Institute Hall in the city area of Sydney. The President at that time was Lionel Lawton of Fairhaven Kennels, a well known kennel at that time.

The gathering of people interested and already involved in the German Shepherd Dog set the course for the fraternity in Sydney to go forward with the development of the Club.

There were numerous people involved in the club but naming them all is beyond the scope of my knowledge.

One was Don Gottschalk who took over the reins as President and the meetings were moved to the Annandale Council Chambers, which still stands today and where the league remained for many years. I can remember going there for my first meetings after joining in 1969. The meeting hall was packed for all meetings, you had to fight for a chair. We used to pack them in in those days. The GSDL then moved to Granville Town Hall for a number of years and then after the Clubhouse was built we moved to Erskine Park.

Succeeding Don as President was Bryan Cooper, a young man with a lot of vision and who was instrumental in working together with Roy Brabham in the lifting of the importation ban on German Shepherds into Australia. At that particular time, German Shepherds could not enter Western Australia unless they were desexed and there was also restricted movement of Shepherds throughout the State of N.S.W. due to the Pastures Protection Boards ban on our breed. Together the GSDL worked with the Kamarn Breeders Foundation and others in successfully having the importation ban lifted, with restrictions, and these were lifted 12 months later. So began the importation of dogs from overseas. This proposal was put to Parliament by our past Patron of Council Mr Don Chipp, who we are eternally grateful to. Don Chip passed away some years ago.

The League progressed and opened branches in St. George, Warringah, Cumberland, Engadine, Broken Hill, Hawkesbury, Northern Rivers, Campbelltown and Erskine Park. The League also had branches in Goulburn, Illawarra, Bathurst, Grafton, Southern Highlands and Nowra, and grew to be the largest single breed speciality club in Australia. Broken Hill eventually became a Club in their own right but does not exist under the control of the League anymore.

In 1967 The German Shepherd Dog League, under the auspices of Bryan Cooper President G.S.D.L and Roy Brabham S.A and Council, and with support from members of the GSDL in Fay & Max Stokes, along with donations from the GSD club (SA), the ACT GSDA Ass and The GSDC of Geelong, plus many other supporters organised and put together .the 1st National German Shepherd Show & Trial, which was hosted by the GSDL. The men & women at the forefront of the first National had a vision that from that day forward the German Shepherd would not take a back seat to any other breed. This show was held at the North Sydney Oval and proved to be a tremendous success with the officiating judge being Herr P Hutter (SV) who found at that time no dog or bitch worthy of the grading of Excellent. I think there would probably be a riot if that happened now.

From those humble beginnings National Shows have become the cornerstone of all of our activities, leading into all schemes and have become amongst the most looked forward to events in our Shepherd calendar and is now a yearly event.

Max Stokes then took over from Bryan and the GSDL was instrumental in becoming the first club to introduce Breed Survey as early as 1966, which was recorded on a card system with the able assistance of the Davidson twins Margaret and Peggy (Arngold Kenells) who have both passed on. The G.S.D.L. first did surveys on three foolscap sheets for each dog, which the two sisters transcribed into a card system. The Breed Survey scheme went National in 1977.This was an initiative of the GSDL Inc that went National.

The Tattoo Scheme was up and running in N.S.W. as early as 1975 under the guidance of Werner Uehling and Uli Schwab and the members on the G.S.D.L Breed Affairs committee, who all wished to take part and learn the system and how to become Tattoo officers. They practiced on Pigs ears before doing their own litters. The first three Kennels to Tattoo in NSW were “Fidelitas (FID)” - U.K.Schwab, “Berenberg” (BER) - Peter Kotovitch and Karliza (KAR) - Terry & Pam Jarvis.

The Tattoo Scheme went National in a proposal to Council by Mr Uli Schwab in draft form and accepted by all Clubs in 1979. It was now national and it became the precursor to identification of all dogs and bitches going through National schemes run by National Council at the time. Since then, recently we have the Micro Chip System that runs in conjunction with the Tattoo Scheme. The first draft put forward by Mr Schwab is still in existence and in the hands of the GSDL Inc. This was another initiative that came from the GSDL and went National.

Max Stokes worked continuously with the NSW Kennel Control and managed to negotiate two Championship Shows and two Open Shows for the League. The League now has an additional one show with the State Breed Assessment and now Club Competitions. The League is very fortunate in being able to offer so many shows to its members.

The League, after Max stepped down as President, had several different Presidents, namely Viv Atkinson, George East and Alan Kalb Snr. It was after this flurry of Presidents that Max Stokes was again elected President. Fay Stokes, who had been Secretary for a lot of years, was still secretary when the League agreed to host the 1st Main Breed Show in 1987 on behalf of National Council. This exhibition was most successful in its early years but unfortunately now the Main Breed Exhibition is no longer, but we held it first.

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During this time the League had major problems with two of their largest branches, being St. George and Warringah, with those branches wishing to break away from the League to form their own identities and so the branches were closed.

The Hawkesbury Branch, which had become quite a large branch, was closed after the football club refused to renew its agreement for the

League to continue using the grounds and the branch finally disbanded. Since then, and with the dwindling memberships and participation in dog training that most clubs have had to deal with over the past few years, the South Sydney and Engadine Branches of the League have also closed.

Max Stokes had once again stepped down as President due to his commitments on National Council and the position was taken over by Les Frances, then Colin Spalding, David O’Rourke, Terry Jarvis, Joe Genua, Brian Davies, Alan Jones and John Hugo.

In 1992 the League was approached by the N.S.W Canine Council with a proposal to utilise 18 acres of land at the bottom part of the Erskine Park Dog Complex. This land was bushland with a trotting track around it and a lot of work laid ahead. This proposal was put to and accepted by the members. The then President Terry Jarvis put the initial proposal to the Canine Council which was accepted after a lot of negotiations with the Canine Council which took some years by a new committee. The grounds were cleared and Clubhouse plans drawn up and after a short time, the building was up and occupied by the League. This was a very proud moment for a lot of members who had for some years been on planning committee’s etc. and looking forward to finally having their own headquarters. The building was finished in 1998 under the Presidency of Mr Colin Spalding who officially opened the Clubhouse with members of the Canine Council in attendance.

Terry & Pam Jarvis with Laurelle Reilly and her sister Carolyne and a number of other people formed Erskine Park Branch which became the biggest branch at the time, it had already been established on the top grounds for some years in the late 1980s. The Branch moved down to the Clubhouse when it was finished in 1998 to become the biggest Branch of the League with a large membership which conducts both breed and obedience training. Flood Lighting was installed which allows us to show and train quiet well under lights.

The German Shepherd Dog League is proud of its past and proud of its achievements, and compliments those members that helped in all facets of the construction and preparation of the ground and the clubhouse and who still continue to contribute.

We have been the proud hosts for Council of many National Shows and Main Breed Exhibitions. The last two Nationals held in Sydney were

outstanding and also we have hosted many Council AGMs and Breed Commission Meetings showing support for Council.

The League has been busy on the publicity front this year with three major representations to the public. Firstly at the Camden Paws in the Park with a very big public attendance where the GSD was presented in a very good light and proved very popular with the public. We also attended Dogs NSW Dogs On Show where Dogs NSW held a show in conjunction with a public invitation which was a huge success. Again lots of public representation. Last but not least was the Dog Lovers Show, the biggest one so far with over 25 thousand people crowding through the two pavilions. The dogs as always put on a show and they were very popular. For these events it takes a lot of work for the publicity group and I thank them all for their continued support.

The League in the past has put on many obedience displays at local council events but the team has now disbanded. Sometime in the future we might see a team surface and let us get back to what we are in existence for - promotion of our dogs.

The German Shepherd Dog League has always been at the forefront and instrumental in the setting up and promoting the schemes in place at National Council level. We have always had a good forward thinking group of members to get us there and still do.

Terry JarvisPublicity Officer German Shepherd Dog League Inc

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Beginning K9 Nose Work

K9 Nose Work harnesses the power of the canine nose and allows dogs to utilize both their powerful nose and their desire to hunt. The sport of Nose Work has now reached dogs of all ages, personalities, and sizes, and has made basic search-dog skills available to companion dogs. A new urban sport for dog enthusiasts has been born!

Very little is needed to get started in K9NW. The dog needs to be outfitted in a flat-buckle collar or body harness (not a no-pull harness), with a minimum of a 6-foot leash. The handler needs five or six sturdy cardboard boxes, and the dog’s favourite toy or food in a treat bag.

If the plan is to work with other dog/handler teams, a crate for each dog is needed. It’s important that each dog have some downtime to process what was learned during a search, and a comfortable and familiar crate is a great location to retire to for this respite. It’s also imperative that the dog searching is the only dog in the room. Having just one dog in the search room ensures that there aren’t distractions and eliminates the possibility of resource guarding. An alternative to using the crate to separate dogs during training is to put a resting dog in the handler’s car between runs. Training and using only one search dog at a time is also the primary reason K9NW is the perfect sport for reactive or shy dogs.

To build a solid foundation in K9 Nose Work, spend time increasing the dog’s hunting drive and sharpening the human partner’s handling and observational skills. The dog must understand the concept of the search game too. With a strong foundation, the dog’s desire to play the search game is very strong, and the dog/handler pair becomes a capable team when it’s time to introduce a specific odour in K9 Nose Work training.

Harnessing the Power of Your Dog’s Nose: An Introduction to K9 Nose WorkBy Laurie Luck The (dog’s) nose knows

A dog’s nose is an amazing thing to behold.

Dogs have the ability to: wiggle each nostril independently, breathe in through the holes in the

front of the nose and exhale through the side slits, and discern individual odours making

up what we could call a “scent.” Humans have about 5 million cells devoted to

smelling; dogs have up to 220 million. Not only that, but dogs have four times the brain power devoted to processing scents! We smell “vegetable soup,” but

a dog smells each individual ingredient. Dogs’ noses are so powerful they can

detect one tablespoon of sugar in the amount of water it would take to fill two Olympic-sized

swimming pools!

Training: the hide

To make it easy for the dog, all hides are done indoors in a quiet room. The hides usually consist of foods with appealing smells. The food (or toy) is placed in one of the sturdy cardboard boxes. Initially, it is important to make a very big deal out of placing the food in the box. Encourage the dog to watch while the hide is placed and the boxes moved. It’s easiest to accomplish this when there are two people involved: one to handle the dog, the other to handle the hides in the boxes.

Usually each dog gets three or four runs each turn, and about four turns per training session. The goal is to make the hide easy, building the dog’s confidence and enjoyment of the hunt. Look at it this way - if I gave you a super-hard crossword or Sudoku puzzle, one you couldn’t solve, would you really look forward to the next puzzle I gave you?

Training: the search

During the search, the handler does very little other than follow the dog and ensure that the leash doesn’t get tight. In fact, the less the handler does for the dog, the better. Since the box handler will have made it very clear that the food (or toy) was placed in one of the boxes, the dog will likely check out the boxes. When the dog finds the hide, he’ll eat the food (or grab the toy). The handler should immediately reward the dog with more food or by playing with the dog’s toy.

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Odour obedience

K9NW is all about the search, the hunt, the find. The founders of the sport are very specific in saying that there shouldn’t be any obedience requests made by the handler in K9NW. The dog’s focus should be to obey his nose, not the handler. As the training gets more advanced, the dog will be the only one able to find the scent. The handler will be virtually helpless - unable to offer any help or guidance to the dog because the hides will be blind (meaning that the hide is known only to the person that hid it).

No marker?

In K9NW, a training marker (ie ‘yes’ or a click etc) isn’t needed because the dog is immediately rewarded when the hide is found. Why? Well, what is a “search” behaviour? What does “search” look like? Searching is a very general behaviour and can take many shapes, while a marker notes very precise and specific behaviour. The dog might stop and lift her head to sniff, or drop her nose to the ground and walk forward, or maybe stick her nose in a box—what behaviour do you mark? The behaviours are all different forms of searching. If you mark one of the behaviours, you’re likely to get more of the same, as that’s the power of the marker, but you want ALL of those search behaviours, and not just one. The marker isn’t needed because the dog is immediately rewarded when the hide is found. The dog knows he’s right because he gets to eat the food or he gets his favourite toy.

This is the one sport where the dog knows more than the person at the end of the leash!

All aboard!

For fun or competition, K9 Nose Work is a terrific sport for both people and dogs. This is the one sport where the dog knows more than the person at the end of the leash! K9NW accommodates almost every type of dog. It’s a terrific way to give an older dog something to do impact-free. It’s also a great way to burn off energy in a younger dog. For shy dogs, the sport builds confidence. And for dog-aggressive or reactive dogs, K9NW is the perfect sport because there are never any other dogs around when one dog is searching.

Happy sniffing!

Getting Started in Nose WorkJill Marie O BrienI have written about K9 Nose Work and folks have been asking me about what is needed to get started and the best way to introduce their dogs to a more formal nose work routine. The greatest thing about doing K9 Nose Work is how easy it is and portable it can be. Your dog’s nose goes everywhere and the world is an adventure.

My training partners and I generally start all dogs in class using cardboard boxes for searching. You can use any type of container such as shoe boxes, Tupperware with holes punched in the top, flower pots, etc. You’ll want to contain the odour, yet leave enough ventilation for it to be accessible to the dog. The greener the dog the more accessible the odour should be. We have found card board boxes to be the easiest and most cost effective. We start with 5 or 6 and the number and difficulty grows with time and experience.

The containers do not need to match, but for the purest you can purchase matching boxes and mark the one you’ll primarily use to hide your dog’s target. Try to limit cross-contaminating the other boxes. In the beginning you will want to keep it as clear cut as possible so your dog finds consistent success. We use the boxes to help the dog learn the game and it can become a cue in the beginning that the game is on. Additionally, it doesn’t matter at first if the dog can see the hidden item. We want to encourage the dog to seek it out.

Your first step is to find out what your dog really, really loves. Not likes, LOVES! That is what you will start with as the target for your dog’s search. Our goal in the beginning is not to teach the end result first, but to help the dog build their desire to hunt and scent independently.

As simple as this may sound, many dogs are reluctant to venture out on their own or stray away from obedience mode. It can take a bit of convincing that it is not a set up and they are free to search. Some dogs are gung-ho and the biggest challenge will be reeling them in and getting them to focus on the task.

Our goal for the handlers in the Introduction to Nose Work class is for them to learn how to read their dogs and to pick up on the subtle signals that their dogs communicate with when they are on the trail of their target. Videotaping your dog searching will help you identify those subtle body and breathing changes that happen when your dog is close to finding his bounty.

Whether you are using food or toys is not relevant, only that your dog is motivated to hunt for it. There are advantages and disadvantages to

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either food or toys as targets and then as rewards.

When starting your dog, working with a training partner is helpful, but not mandatory. If you are training independently you will need to be able to back tie your dog so you can entice them and hide the reward without them following you from box to box. If you are using food have the food in a pouch or ventilated small container and keep a few extras on your person. We keep the food in containers so the food doesn’t leave excess residue on the boxes.

With your dog restrained, start pretending to hide their goodies or toy and mix it up so the dog doesn’t see which box has the hide. You will still use the same box each time,

just move it around. It is like playing a shell game. After you place their reward move around to other boxes and go to a box furthest away from where you actually left the loaded box. If you are sneaky your dog will look at the last box you visited and from there the search begins. Try to avoid helping them or pointing at each box; ideally, your dog should search on their own.

If your dog is reluctant to move away from you, casually stroll around as if you are just going for a walk. If your dog needs a bit more encouragement, nonchalantly investigate the boxes (avoiding the loaded box). As soon your dog shows ANY level of interest in the box with the reward run over and with enthusiasm tell them how wonderful they are and either give them a goodie or play tug with their toy right at the box. REWARD AT THE BOX!

Start in an enclosed secure area so you can work your dog both on and off leash. Keep your sessions short and fun. Limit using any obedience commands when building the searching desire in your dog. It is

important that the dog learns he is in control of this game and you need him more then he needs you.

Expanding the Search. Building the Nose Work Game

One of the great things about doing K9 Nose Work is that it is mobile and eventually encompasses any environment you may find yourself. However, there is very important foundation work that is the key to you and your dog finding long-term success and helping your dog build stamina and interest in the search.

After following the steps in the first part of this saga (Getting Started in Nose Work) and if your dog’s eyes pop out of their head at the sight of any container or cardboard box your dog may be ready to expand the search and increase the challenge.

Now that you’ve worked your boxes in your house or other easily accessible and familiar environments you can start increasing the challenge for your dog. We start increasing difficulty for the dog by adding novel items brought into the environment. We do keep some of the boxes present to help the dog see that the game is still on or if we need to recover them if the search we planned is too challenging. Never allow your dog to fail.

The need to bring in outside items will of course depend on the space in which you are training. If you are working in a naturally enriched environment the need to bring in outside items is not as critical. But again, every environment can become uninspiring to the dog if we don’t alter it on occasion.

At this point it is also beneficial to start elevating the boxes to encourage the dog to search high as well as at ground level. You’ll want to develop patterns in your dog so that he learns to search both high and low and to work the odour even if it is not on the ground. You can start by placing your boxes on top of each other or putting the boxes on a chair or other stable object.

When available try to tape your dog’s search so you can start to see the first moments your dog’s body language changes when they are starting to pick up the odour of their target. These initial body changes will be your initial opportunity to see at what point your dog starts to “alert” you to the odour location and to develop the skill needed to be a true partner with your dog.

Happy Hunting!

Source:

www.dogstardaily.com/blogs/getting-started-nose-work &

www.clickertraining.com/harnessing-the-power-of-your-dogs-nose

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Enriching Your Dog’s LifeBoredom and excess energy are two common reasons for behaviour problems in dogs. This makes sense because they’re meant to lead active lives. Wild dogs spend about 80% of their waking hours hunting and scavenging for food. Domestic dogs have been helping and working alongside us for thousands of years, and most are bred for a specific purpose, such as hunting, farming or protection. For example, retrievers and pointers were bred to locate and fetch game and water birds. Scent hounds, like coonhounds and beagles, were bred to find rabbits, foxes and other small prey. Dogs like German Shepherds, collies, cattle dogs and sheepdogs were bred to herd livestock.

Whether dogs were working for us or scavenging on their own, their survival once depended on lots of exercise and problem solving. But what about now?

Today’s Job Description: Couch Potato

Today that’s all changed. Now the most common job description for dogs is Couch Potato! While we’re away at work all day, they sleep. And when we come home, we serve them free food in a bowl - no effort required from them. They eat more calories than they can use. The result is dogs who are bored silly, often overweight and have too much energy. It’s a perfect recipe for behaviour problems.

What Does Your Dog Need?

It’s not necessary to quit your job, take up duck hunting or get yourself a bunch of sheep to keep your dog out of trouble. However, we encourage you to find ways to exercise her brain and body. Read on for some fun, practical ways to enrich your dog’s life, both when you’re around and when you’re not. You’ll find that these ideas go a long way toward keeping your dog happy and easier to live with. Try out a few and see what you and your dog enjoy most.

Tips for Alone Time

Because we all lead busy lives, our dogs often end up spending a good portion of their day home alone. If you give your dog “jobs” to do when she’s by herself, she’ll be less likely to come up with her own ways to occupy her time, like unstuffing your couch, raiding the trash or chewing on your favourite pair of shoes. Plus, she’ll be less likely to enthusiastically tackle you when you come home, after she’s spent a day doing nothing but recharging her batteries!

K-9 to 5: Will Work for Food

Food puzzle toys

Food puzzle toys are sturdy containers, usually made of hard rubber or plastic, that hold food or treats inside but don’t give dogs easy access to the food. They usually have holes on each end or on the sides, and dogs must work by shaking, pawing, rolling, nibbling or licking the toy to get the food to come out. Food puzzle toys require time, patience and problem-solving - all skills that are good for your dog and will help her enjoy quiet time alone. Since our dogs’ wild counterparts spend much of their time scavenging for food, food puzzle toys offer a natural solution to pet-dog boredom. Puzzle toys also encourage chewing and licking, which can have a calming effect on dogs.

Examples of food puzzle toys include KONG® Toy, the KONG Wobbler®, the Buster® Cube, the Tricky Treat™ Ball, the Tug-a-Jug™, the Twist ‘n Treat™, the Atomic Treat Ball™ and the TreatStik®. You can find these toys online or at most major pet stores. Feed your dog at least one meal a day in a food puzzle toy to give her brain and jaws a great workout. You can also stuff these toys with your dog’s favourite treats or a little peanut butter, cottage cheese, cooked oatmeal or yogurt.

When you first introduce your dog to a food puzzle toy, make it really easy for her to empty it. She’s probably accustomed to getting her food served in a bowl, so she has some learning to do! Choose a toy with a large dispensing hole and make sure the goodies you put inside the toy are small enough to come out easily. As your dog becomes an expert, you can make it harder and harder for her to get food out of her toys. Use bigger pieces or food or, to provide an extra challenge, freeze the toys after stuffing them. You can also place the frozen toys inside a cardboard box or oatmeal tub so that your dog has to rip through the cardboard container to get to her meal.

Hunting for dinner

You can make your dog hunt for her meals by hiding stuffed food puzzle toys or small piles of her kibble around your house. Hide one of your dog’s meals right before you leave her home alone, and she’ll have great fun hunting her chow while you’re away. To try a variation on this activity, scatter a couple handfuls of kibble around your yard so your dog can search for the pieces in the grass. Most dogs love this game!

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Chew Time

Dogs of all ages need to chew. Both wild and domestic dogs spend hours chewing to keep their jaws strong and their teeth clean. They also chew for fun, for stimulation and to relieve anxiety. Whether you have a puppy or an adult dog, it’s important to provide a variety of appropriate and attractive chew toys, like Nylabones® and hard rubber toys, natural marrow bones, rawhide and pig ears.

Although chewing behaviour is normal, dogs sometimes chew on things we don’t want them to. Giving your dog plenty of her own toys and chewies will help prevent her from gnawing on your things.

Social OpportunitiesJust like people, dogs are social animals, and many enjoy spending time with members of their own species. Off-leash play with other dogs serves multiple purposes. It can give your dog opportunities to practice her social skills with other dogs, wear her out mentally and tire her physically. If your dog enjoys romping with dog buddies, give her regular opportunities to do so. Try taking her to a local dog park or doggie day care. If you have friends or family with dogs, you can also arrange “play dates” at your respective houses.

Things to Do TogetherIn addition to fun activities when you’re not around, your dog also benefits from spending plenty of quality time with you. There are many fun and exciting things you and your dog can do together. Read on for some suggestions.

Get Moving

Don’t underestimate the value of a good walk or jog with your dog or get out on your bike. Taking at least one outing per day will help keep your dog physically fit and give her opportunities to explore the world. Follow different routes and visit new places whenever you can so that your dog can experience novel smells and sights.

Games to Play

Learning how to play with your dog in ways that are enjoyable and safe for you both will greatly enhance your relationship. The games listed below will exercise your dog’s body and satisfy her deeply rooted instincts to search, chase, grab and tug.

Tug-of-war

Playing tug with your dog can provide a wonderful outlet for her natural canine urges to grab and pull on things with her mouth. You can also use this game to exercise your dog and teach her important lessons, such as how to listen to you when she’s excited.

Fetch

Teaching your dog to play fetch is great for a number of reasons. It requires your dog to exert a lot of physical effort - but you don’t have to! You can also use the game of fetch to teach your dog useful skills, like how to drop things when you ask her to.

Show your dog a toy and then toss it a short distance. (If she doesn’t follow the toy, try a different one.)

• Praise her as she follows the toy.

• When she picks it up and starts to return to you, praise her. (If she doesn’t return to you, don’t chase her. Just encourage her or play with another toy yourself.)

• When your dog reaches you, position your left hand under her mouth to catch the toy.

• Say “Give” or “Drop it” and then put a delicious treat very close to her nose with your right hand.

• When she drops the toy into your left hand, give her your treat and praise her!

• After many repetitions your dog will learn the “Drop it” cue. Then you can stop using the treat. When you give the cue and she drops the toy, reward her by throwing the toy again.

Find It• Giving your dog a chance to use her powerful nose can really

wear her out! It’s easy to teach your dog to find hidden treats. Just put her in another room, out of sight, while you hide a few treats. When you introduce the Find It game, start out by choosing hiding spots that allow your dog to find the “hidden” treats easily. Try placing treats behind the legs of furniture, partially in view. After you’ve hidden the treats, go get your dog and say “Find it!” right before letting her into the room. Encourage her to look around for the treats. (You might have to point them out the first few times you play the Find It game.) As your dog becomes better and better at finding the treats, you can hide them in more difficult places, like behind pillows or underneath objects.

• You can also play Find It with your dog’s favourite toy. Follow the directions above, but hide the toy instead of treats. When your dog finds it, you can play a game of tug or fetch as a reward.

Hide-and-Seek• This game is similar to Find It—but instead of teaching your dog to

hunt her favourite treats or toys, you’ll train her to search for you! Like Find It, Hide-and-Seek will exercise your dog’s mind and give her an opportunity to use her amazing sense of smell. It can also help her learn to love coming when called.

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Chase

Dogs were born to chase! Try tying one of your dog’s favourite toys to the end of a sturdy rope. You can attach the other end of the rope to a stick or plastic PVC pipe. Then use the stick or pipe to drag the toy around on the ground or twirl it in the air around you so that your dog can chase it. Many dogs find this game exciting and will chase the fast-moving toy until they’re exhausted. Of course, you want to let your dog catch it at times! Tennis balls you can buy on a rope are good for this - or put a squeaky toy in a sock and tie the sock to the end of a rope on a pole. Then twirl the pole in a big circle and let your dog chase it. Your dog can get a good workout in a relatively small space.

When playing outdoors with you, your dog may enjoy chasing a stream of water from a hose. Try spraying the ground a few feet away from your dog and then rapidly moving the stream of water away from her, along the ground. Many dogs can’t resist chasing and trying to bite the water. Another unique way to satisfy your dog’s desire to chase is to purchase a bubble-blowing toy made for dogs, such as the Fetch a Bubble Big Bubble Blaster or the Bubble Buddy™. These toys produce bubbles that taste like bacon, chicken, peanut butter or barbeque!. And there is always the sprinkler on a hot day!

Round-Robin Recalls

This is a fun obedience game you can play with the whole family. Have everyone spread out around your living room. Take turns calling your dog to you, and treating and happily praising her when she reaches you. Make her earn her entire dinner in a game of Round-Robin.

• With family members at least 20 feet apart, have one person happily say your dog’s name and then give the cue “Come!”

• If your dog hesitates, don’t say “Come” again (nagging just teaches dogs to ignore you) but encourage her with clapping, slapping your thighs or making high-pitched noises.

• When your dog gets to you, gently grab her collar, say “Good girl!” and treat her.

• So that she’s ready to focus on the next person when she’s done eating, look away from your dog, and put your hands and treats behind your back. Then it’s the next person’s turn to call.

• Whenever one person is calling your dog, the other(s) should remain quiet and boring (treats behind back and looking away) so your dog isn’t confused about whom to go to.

• When your dog’s good at recalls in your living room, spread out further around the house, even where you can’t see each other.

• When she’s a champ at that, take the game outside into your yard or a fenced area.

These days there are all kinds of organised sports and activities that you can do with your dog, including flyball, agility, musical freestyle (dancing with your dog), lure coursing, competition Frisbee (disc dog), tracking and herding to name a few. There’s something out there for everyone.

Training

Enrol in a reward-based training class to increase your dog’s mental activity, enhance the bond between you and your dog, and help her understand your expectations of her. This can give you and your dog lots of great skills to learn and games to play together. There are many kinds of training to investigate, such as basic obedience training, clicker training and trick training. If you’ve got a competitive streak, you and your dog can participate in competition Obedience or Rally Obedience.

No Free Lunch

When you and your dog have learned some new training skills, you can start a No Free Lunch program. Here’s how it works. You control all the valuable resources in your dog’s life, such as food, water, affection, toys, walks, petting and playtime. Instead of giving these things for free, ask your dog to work for them! The work will exercise her brain and help her become more obedient. Just give your dog what she needs and wants after she does something you ask her to do. For example, if your dog wants to go on a walk, ask her to sit before you clip on her leash and open the door. If your dog wants dinner, ask her to sit-stay while you put down her bowl. If your dog wants to play a game of tug, ask her to lie down before you start the game. Your dog will happily learn to work for everything she loves in life.

Short on Time?

It’s often difficult to work time with your dog into your hectic daily routine. But if you’ve got a busy schedule, you can find help. Consider the following time-saving ways to add some excitement to your dog’s life:

• Look into the possibility of taking your dog to a dog day care at least once or twice a week.

• If you live close enough to work, consider going home to spend your lunch break with your dog.

• If you can’t make it home during the day, hire a dog walker to take your dog out for a stroll instead.

• If you have friends or family members who don’t work during the day, ask if they’d be willing to let your dog visit them while you’re at work.

did YOU know?

34

On the 40th anniversary of the lifting of the ban on importing GSD’s to WA, lets revisit some of our other key events in the history of the German Shepherd Dog Council of Australia.

What were our key milestones in National Council Progress in the 1960’s, ‘70’s, ‘80’s and ‘90’s ?

Notable events in the ‘60’s1960 GSDCA commenced with

Roy Brabham as President on the 13th April.

1963 Logo developed as black silhouetted GSD with an outline of Australia as a background.

1963 National Review Magazine was first published by Roy Brabham as its Editor.

1964 1st Patron selected was Judge Norman F Mitchell.

1965 Press Cutting Service commenced to combat adverse media publicity.

1965 Incorporated on 9th July.

1967 1st National Show and Obedience Trial on 19th March in Sydney, NSW (Judge: P Hutter).

1967 Specialist Judges List instigated.

1967 Adoption of the German Standard was first sought from ANKC.

1967 Standard GSD Pedigree Forms.

1967 Code of Ethics started to be developed.

1968 National Review Magazine production lapsed.

Notable events in the ‘80’s1982 Hip Dysplasia Scheme introduced.

1982 New editor of National Review Magazine was James W H Rodger.

1983 Judges Sub-Committee introduced.

1983 Obedience Sub-Committee introduced.

1985 20th and last edition of the National Review Magazine in the half foolscap format.

1986 New format for the Quarterly National Review Magazine (A4 format) with James Rodger as Editor.

1986 Tooth Certificate Scheme introduced.

1987 Haemophilia Certificate Scheme introduced.

1987 ANKC Affiliation Recognition of Breed National Councils introduced.

1987 1st Main Breed Exhibition with Sieger Edlenblut Orkan and Siegerin Landrina Majic Melody.

1988 Year of consolidation of GSDCA Schemes and NBC created.

Notable events in the ‘70’s1973 Initial trial for lifting of

National GSD Importation Ban.

1973 2nd Patron selected was Rt Hon Donald L Chipp MP.

1974 Permanent lifting of the National GSD Importation Ban.

1974 New dogs became available for breeding subsequent to the Importation Ban being lifted.

1974 National Review Magazine (half foolscap format) was re-instigated with Walter H Reimann as Editor.

1976 Start of a new era of GSD development with Louis C Donald as President.

1976 WA GSD Breeding Ban lifted by WA State Parliament on 24th December.

1977 Breed Survey Scheme adopted Australia wide.

1978 Breed Survey Year Book first published.

1979 Tattoo Scheme introduced.

Notable events in the ‘90’s1990 Publication of Condensed History

of Australia.

1990 Hereditary Diseases Committee introduced.

1993 Elbow Dysplasia Scheme introduced.

1993 SV Breed Standard (Country of Origin) adopted by ANKC.

1995 Max Stokes elected as GSDCA President.

1995 GSDCA adopts State Breed Exhibition Rules for all affiliate clubs.

1996 GSDCA Canine Service Awards introduced.

1996 GSDCA “Z” stamp required for successful Breed Survey Classification.

1999 Vince Tantaro elected as GSDCA President.

Edlenblut Orkan

Landrina Majic Melody

dOG discussion

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Destructive ChewingChewing is essential for maintaining the health of your dog’s teeth, jaws, and gums. Puppies especially have a strong need to chew to relieve the irritation and inflammation of teething. Dogs chew for fun, they chew for stimulation and they chew to relieve anxiety and boredom. Your dog’s jaws are his tools for carrying objects and for investigating his surroundings. Essentially, a dog’s approach to all items in his environment is “Can I chew it?”

Chewing is Normal, Natural and Necessary

Dogs generally sleep at night and in the middle of the day. However, chewing is your dog’s primary form of entertainment during his morning and late afternoon activity peaks. After all, there are only so many things your dog can do when left at home alone. He can hardly read a novel, telephone friends, or watch the soaps! Indeed, most chewing sprees stem from your dog’s relentless quest for some form of occupational therapy to pass the time of day when left at home alone. Chewing is a perfectly normal, natural, and necessary canine behaviour. Both wild and domestic dogs spend hours chewing bones. Dogs love to chew on bones, sticks and just about anything else available. Prevention and treatment of destructive chewing focus on management and education - to prevent your dog from chewing inappropriate items and to redirect your dog’s natural chewing-urge to appropriate, acceptable, and resilient chew toys.

Prevent Destructive Chewing: Useful Tips

“Dog-proof” your house. Put valuable objects away until you’re confident that your dog’s chewing behaviour is restricted to appropriate items. Keep shoes and clothing in a closed cupboard, dirty laundry in a hamper and books on shelves. Make it easy for your dog to succeed.

Provide your dog with plenty of his own toys and inedible chew bones. Pay attention to the types of toys that keep him chewing for long periods of time and continue to offer those. Try Nylabones®, Greenies®Smart Chew™bones, Dental KONGs® and natural bones. It’s ideal to introduce something new or rotate your dog’s chew toys every couple of days so that he doesn’t get bored with the same old toys. (Use caution: Do not give cooked bones, as these can splinter and seriously injure your dog).

Offer your dog some edible things to chew, like bully sticks, pig ears, rawhide bones, other natural chews, Dentastix®, Dentabones® and Nylabone bones. Dogs can sometimes choke on edible chews, especially if they bite off and swallow large hunks. If your dog is inclined to do this, make sure he’s separated from other dogs when he chews so he can relax. (If he has to chew in the presence of other dogs, he might feel that he has to compete with them and try to quickly gulp down edible items.) Also be sure to keep an eye on your dog whenever he’s working on an edible chew so that you can intervene if he starts to choke.

Identify times of the day when your dog is most likely to chew and give him a puzzle toy, such as a KONG® or Buster®Cube, filled with something delicious. You can include some of your dog’s daily ration of food in the toy.

Do your best to supervise your dog during all waking hours until you feel confident that his chewing behaviour is under control. If you see him licking or chewing an item he shouldn’t, say “Uh-oh,” remove the item from your dog’s mouth, and insert something that he CAN chew. Then praise him happily.

When you can’t supervise your dog, you must find a way to prevent him from chewing on inappropriate things in your absence. For example, you can leave your dog in a confinement area. Use a crate or put your dog in a small area or room with the door or a baby gate closed. Be sure to remove all things that your dog shouldn’t chew from his confinement area, and give him a variety of appropriate toys and chew things to enjoy instead. Keep in mind that if you confine your dog, you’ll need to give him plenty of exercise and quality time with you when he’s not confined.

Provide your dog with plenty of physical exercise (playtime with you and with other dogs) and mental stimulation (training, social visits, etc.). If you have to leave your dog alone for more than a short period of time, make sure he gets out for a good play session beforehand.

To help your dog learn the difference between things he should and shouldn’t chew, it’s important to avoid confusing him by offering unwanted household items, like old shoes and discarded cushions. It isn’t fair to expect your dog to learn that some shoes are okay to chew and others aren’t.

Lack of Exercise or Mental Stimulation

Some dogs simply do not get enough physical and mental stimulation. Bored dogs tend look for ways to entertain themselves, and chewing is one option. To prevent destructive chewing, be sure to provide plenty of ways for your dog to exercise his mind and body. Great ways to accomplish this include daily walks and outings, off-leash play with other dogs, tug and fetch games, action sports (agility, tunnels etc), obedience, and feeding meals in food puzzle toys, like the KONG® or Buster® Cube.

Stress and Frustration

Sometimes a dog will chew when experiencing something that causes stress, such as being crated near another animal he doesn’t get along with or being in an environment he can’t yet cope with (noise or children). To reduce this kind of chewing, try to avoid exposing your dog to situations that make him nervous or upset. Dogs who are prevented from engaging in exciting activities sometimes direct chewing at nearby objects. Puppies sometimes grab and shake toys, blankets or bowls in their kennels because they’d like attention. When they don’t get it, their frustration is expressed through destructive behaviour.

While chewing behaviour is normal, dogs sometimes direct their chewing behaviour toward inappropriate items. Both puppies and adult dogs should have a variety of appropriate and attractive chew toys. However, just providing the right things to chew isn’t enough to prevent inappropriate chewing. Dogs need to learn what is okay to chew and what is not. They need to be taught in a gentle, humane manner.

If all else fails…….…hide your shoes !!

VETEriNArY chat

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Common Plants Toxic to DogsA number of plants are poisonous to pets. These can cause serious illness and even death in some cases. It’s important to first check the safety of any plants before your pets have access to them. If you’re unsure about the safety of a particular plant, talk to your veterinarian for advice. If you suspect a plant has made your pet ill, don’t delay – take it straight to the vet, along with a sample of the plant, for identification.

Graphic Source: www.eacvets.com.au

VETEriNArY chat

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SHOWiNG notes

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Dentition Grading and ClassificationFor the information of all exhibitors please refer to the chart below in regards to penalisation for animals displaying dentition faults at specialist shows and at breed survey.

Since 2008 I have been mentioning the problem in regards to strength of dentition within our animals. After checking dentition at the recent National Show and Trial, again I have to report that the situation has deteriorated. At the 2016 National Show and Trial there is no doubt the number of incorrect bites has certainly increased. It is apparent that the strength of dentition has deteriorated. The number of animals with underdeveloped teeth is far too high.

All GSDCA Breed Surveyors and GSDCA Specialist Judges have been instructed to be more diligent in checking dentition at breed survey and in the show ring and to ensure that a consistent message is being sent. It is imperative that a uniform message is being sent to the exhibitors.

Joylene NeddermeyerNational Breed Commission Chairperson

Breed Survey Classification

Show Grading Item/Description

BS Cl I Excellent Faultless, gapless, healthy dentition. May have slightly level bite, but without wear.

Double P1’s allowed.

BS Cl II Very Good Not quite correct scissor bite.

Missing one only Premolar 1 or Molar 4 or Incisor.

Slightly level bite.

Slightly worn teeth, not due to age.

BS Cl II Good Missing two only Premolar 1’s or one only

Missing one only Premolar 1 plus one only Incisor.

Fail Good Missing one only Premolar 3.

Missing two only Incisors or two only Premolar 2’s.

Missing one only Premolar 2 plus one only Incisor.

Missing one only Premolar 2 plus one only Premolar 1.

Fail Ungraded Missing one only Premolar 3 plus one further tooth.

Missing one only Canine or one only Premolar 4.

Missing one only Molar 1 or 2. Missing three or more teeth altogether.

Bite is Level, or Undershot 2 mm or more, or Overshot.

Next Edition’s Photo SpreadSend us your best dog photos taken on your phone – captured in the moment !

Show us what your dogs get up to !

Email us: [email protected]

CrOSSWOrd puzzle

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Down1. Dogs father

2. Dog judge at the 2017 National

4. High five is a cool

6. Dogs should have how many teeth

7. Identification method

9. Founder

11. Dogs mother

12. Dogs are man's best

13. City where the 2016 Sieger show was held

16. When dogs walk beside you in the obedience

ring

17. How many generation pedigree

19. Short for German Shepherd Dog

21. Number of GSDCA member clubs

22. Shape of a GSD's eyes

25. New type of competition obedience

Across3. In the show ring a GSD should

5. In 2010 the GSDCA celebrated our ? anniversary

8. GSD's were bred for

10. What should a Long Stock Coat have

14. Before you cross the road your dog should

15. Dogs have 4 legs and

18. Your dogs kennel name is found on its

20. The first National Show was held in

23. Host of the 2017 National Show & Trial

24. Our GSDCA Patron is Dawn

Challenge Yourself - for the youth and above :)1 2 3 4

5 6 7

8

9

10 11

12 13 14

15 16

17

18

19

20 21 22

23

24 25

Puzzle answersAcross: 3. Gait, 5. Fiftieth, 8. Herding, 10. Undercoat, 14. Sit, 15. Fur, 18. Pedigree, 20. Sydney, 23. Queensland, 24. Fraser Down: 1. Sire, 2. Goldlust, 4. Trick, 6. Forty two, 7. Tattoo, 9. Von Stephanitz, 11. Dam, 12. Friend, 13. Nuremberg, 16. Heeling, 17. Five, 19 gsd, 21. Nine, 22. Almond, 25. Rally.

OTHEr chat

40

GSDCA Polo ShirtsLook flash in a GSDCA Polo Shirt ! Stand out in the crowd at your local show or on your travels overseasThese come in a great range of colours and are available for general sale We hope that the shirts will give us a national identity !!!

High quality polo shirts at the cost of $38 plus $10 postage and handling. By arrangement where possible, shirts may be delivered to Member Club shows. Postage cost to overseas locations and bulk orders will be higher.

All enquires to the Treasurer at [email protected] including overseas and bulk postage costs.

Colours available are shown below and shirts will be embroidered with the GSDCA symbol on the chest and the Australian flag and the word AUSTRALIA on the sleeves.

To order, visit www.gsdcouncilaustralia.orgA sizing chart is included on the order sheet.

All orders must be accompanied by payment.

Apple with Black Trim

Purple with White Trim

Black with Red Trim

Red with White Trim

Black with Teal Trim

Royal with White Trim

Black with White Trim

Slate with Black Trim

Hot Pink with White Trim

Teal with Black Trim

Navy with White Trim

White with Black Trim

Orange with Slate Trim

White with Navy Trim

$38Plus

Postage

LADIESONLY!

Advertising Info for Members of Affiliated ClubsWe welcome the opportunity to work with members to advertise and promote their animals or business. Ad design is included in the costing. Multiple edition packages are available by negotiation. For information or to discuss, please contact the editor.

Front Cover$300.00 (Non - Advertising)

Back Cover$250.00 (Non - Advertising)

Full Page$500.00

Double Spread$900.00

Half Page$275.00

Other advertising spaces available on request Non-Members and/or Commercial Rates available upon request.

Please make Cheque/Bank draft or Money Order payable to: German Shepherd Dog Council of Australia Inc. and forward to: The Treasurer, GSDCA QNR, 20 Conrad Road, Longwood SA 5153

Notes:All advertisers must forward FULL PAYMENT at the time of placing their advertisement. Advertisers are advised that where an animal is over 18 months of age it must have been successfully Breed Surveyed. Any imported animals with an overseas breed survey Classification will be permitted to be advertised for 6 months following their date of release from Australian Quarantine, after this time they must have obtained an Australian Breed Survey Classification.

If you require return of photos and a receipt, please provide a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

The Trade practices Act 1974 came into force on 1st October 1974 and certain provisions of the Act relating to consumer protection place a heavy burden on advertisers, advertising agents and publishers of advertisements. In view of the difficulty of ensuring that advertisements submitted for publication comply with the Act, advertisers and advertising agents must ensure that the provisions of the Act are strictly complied with. In case of doubts advertisers are advised to seek legal advice.

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OTHEr chat

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QUARTERLYNATIONALREVIEW

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QUARTERLY NATIONAL REVIEW

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